A Star Shines
by Kgbassoon
Summary: In a twist of fate, Legolas is transported to our world while fighting a horrid demon on a quest. He is found by Juliana, a college student who craves adventure and new experiences. A phrase continues to come up in their time together, as Legolas fights for a way back to his home. The words echo with Juliana for unknown reasons, and she is soon too far into his story to get out.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright guys, this one has been eating at me enough I finally turned my thoughts into physical words. The introduction is pretty straight forward, and is something I think a lot of us on here can associate with. Don't know how much of this I will continue, it mostly depends on the response I get from it (so review if you want more)as well as my time commitment, because yes, I actually am studying engineering in college. For any future engineers that may be reading this, bless your soul.**

 **I don't own anything except my thoughts and my story. Without further ado, here we go.**

Do you ever wonder what you would do if your life had become extraordinary? Not like you suddenly become wealthy or you became insanely popular at school or maintained your 4.0gpa. I'm talking about something truly extraordinary. Something magical. Something that could never actually happen. Until...one day...it does. Now I've done my fair share of reading fantasy novels and when they ended I was not content. So naturally I look to fanfiction. I am invested in many stories and their characters. I pegged it as my longing for adventure. For sown thing extraordinary. Something magical. It was an outlet, or rather an inlet, to the possibilities. One of my favorite authors has said "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." That was CS Lewis. I find this statement as much more than a longing. I find it as a fact. It is now that because of these events to follow I know that I know this. The events to follow are not concocted for a fanfiction. They are made to send hope, hope to those who like me look for more than seems to exist in our mundane world. Don't think less of me for the following tale. I merely wish to fulfill the longing I know I am not alone in. I long for more. So much more than this world can give me. And somehow, by some miracle, that wish was granted.

Background to start. My name is Juliana Evans and I am nearly 19 years old. I study engineering at a fairly popular Christian University in Texas. My life is fairly regular. I have poor eyesight. My right knee clicks painfully when I walk due to eight years of soccer abuse. I'm a musician, which is a part of my soul. Music is how I connect to my spirituality. I play bassoon, djembe, ukulele, baritone, and various other percussion instruments. Yes, I am a Christian. Episcopalian. I love the Lord and I have no doubts to His existence and the entire Trinity. I have a few close friends I am still in contact with from high school. My college friends are either from marching band or my hallway. Besides my brother Ford and his fiancé Jane, my closest friend at school is Matt, two years older, medical humanities major, and Emily and Sam, two girls from my dorm. My goal with my degree is to minor in mathematics and religion and take the humanitarian track so I might do ministry or mission work through engineering. I love my friends and my family. I love to climb trees. I love my cat. Being outside makes me happy. Green is my favorite color. I occasionally get social anxiety and I struggle with self-esteem. I was often bullied throughout my life so social interactions with me Vary from a joking, sarcastic, comfortable ease, to an uncertain aloofness. So basically, I'm your normal semi-adult. I'm stressed about my GPA, exams, finals, debt, my lack of love life, my occasional depression, and my future. I'm nothing extraordinary. Which is why when something extraordinary happened to me I knew what to do. Not because I had experience but because in my mundane life I've run nearly ever scenario through my head. What would I do if that guy tried to attack me? What if that girl started to have a seizure? What if magic was real? What if I could use magic? What if one of the books I cherish so dearly was real? What if what if what if. Well my what ifs soon went away. They went away when one of them came to pass. It all started with a walk through Dawson Park.

Dawson Park is a beautiful and stunning escape from reality in the middle of a busy college town. I occasionally walk to trails through the trees, reveling in God's creation and the speckled shadows shed about from the overhanging trees. I had gone this time to enjoy the beautiful Texas day and to clear my mind from the petty stressed of exams and homework. The trail I was on during this time is called Highlander and is one of the more challenging routes. I had just rounded a tree and begun to think about turning around when my thoughts and my body came to a halt. I was face to face with a man not much older than myself, possibly young 20s. Seeing he was equally startled, and not making any move, I gave an awkward half smile and mumbled an apology and sidestepped around him. He turned his head to follow my movement and looked at me quizzically. He looked familiar. As if from a dream...he did not look real. He seemed not to belong here yet seemed perfectly suited to the forest around us.

Clearing his throat, he spoke. "My apologies, but I seem to be lost. Could you direct me to someone of knowledge to where I might be?"

Turning on my friendly smile and camp counselor helpfulness, I responded with, "Oh yeah, no problem. This trail goes about a mile west and then hooks up to the river trail that will take you to one of the main park areas. Someone down there can help you find your car."

He responded with a nod and a pleasant face but I could sense his continued confusion. To myself, I thought I could easily walk back with him, considering I was about to turn around myself, but given the scarcity of people on the trails today, I would rather not be left alone with a stranger. With a casual smile and wave I turned to take my leave. Continuing on my with my walk, my mind made its way back to the stress I was avoiding. As a female in engineering, I'm already out numbered, but as the semester goes on, more and more people start to drop this challenging major. I know I can make it through this program, but it was going to take a bit more tooth and nail than I was expecting.

After having walked another 5-ish minutes I decided to turn around, assuming the man from earlier was very much on his way out. Generally I have a good sense of who to trust and who to be suspicious of. This man didn't seem harmful or of ill intent, but with a dad as a cop, you can never be too aware or cautious. Making my way back, I decided to turn off from the trail as my friends and I often did, trusting our sense of direction and bearing relative to the river that ran through the park. Paths were nice, but sometimes they just don't evoke the thrill of wandering through the forest on your own whim. Now as many of you probably saw coming (but at the time I did not) I caught a glimpse of blonde hair through the trees. My subconscious mind had stored the image of the man from earlier, even though I thought it forgotten. Evidently this man also enjoyed veering from the path.

Calling out ahead, I jokingly said "Is this how you got lost the first time?" The man whipped around remarkably fast, and this time my mind did register his full appearance, bow with notched arrow and all. I was still a good ten yards away, but by the smooth draw and steady grasp he had on the bow, I figured he wouldn't miss. Smile dropping and hands raising, I did what any ration human would. I froze. Not wanting to aggravate or push him, I stood shock still, waiting for his move. It came slowly and much too long for my taste. The man lowered his bow and began to walk towards me, eyes sparking in recognition.

"My apologies, you move quietly and with ease, I had not heard you approach. You startled me". Hunting was definitely a thing here, it was Texas after all, but normally you don't hunt right off pedestrian trails.

With his weapon now down, I let the tension in body go but remained light on my feet, running self defense through my mind and simultaneously attempting to form a calm and logical response.

"So sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. People normally don't venture off the pathways when trying to find their way out of the forest. I was just heading back to the main trail."

Carefully watching his movements I started to turn back towards the path a little ways off. As I moved I remained alert and attentive to any sounds behind me. It was again his voice that stopped me. Here was when I noticed his misplaced accent.

"I'm sorry again to ask, but I really do seem to be finding myself turned around, I hear a river off to one side and the rest is drowned out by an awful roaring commotion. It makes it quite hard to follow the river in all that noise."

Great. This guy needed me to guide him. Considering he did not shoot me, and weapons themselves don't intimidate me, (dads a cop) so long as he kept it slung over his shoulder, I don't see there being a problem.

"Uh yeah, the roads through here don't help with trying to find total peace and quiet. I can walk you back to the highlander trail that will take you right to the river. Just...don't pull your bow out like that again. Really isn't necessary at the moment." Offering a conceding nod and smile he gestured for me to lead the way.

Starting off once again, I noticed he carried himself easily through the brush and rough terrain. It was with almost a practiced ease. Interesting how someone so familiar with traveling this landscape would be so easily turned around in it.

Attempting to lighten the social load of conversation, I asked this question. His reply was "Oh, well I'm quite comfortable here in the forest, but the strange sounds from the...'roads?' You said? Yes from the roads was drawing me towards them in curiosity. I failed to realize the road sounds were coming from all sides and wasn't consistently from the same spot".

Well okay, his answer does make sense but usually people are more aware of how the roads work around here. Making it now back to the main trail I had no choice but to keep walking with him since the sun was going to be setting soon, and I would much rather be out in the setting sun with a guy who has yet to actually attack me(although there was a close call) and seems lost, than some other thug who isn't lost and knows exactly what he's doing. Dawson Park is a sketchy place, increasing exponentially as the sky gets darker. The trail from here to the place I parked was about a half hour trek, so hopefully that puts this guy where he needed to be. So far he seemed nice enough, a bit quiet, and despite my encounter with the weapon threat, he seemed sane. I do live on a college campus, so while his appearance wasn't necessarily conventional, I have definitely seen stranger. I live in an engineering dorm for crying out loud. Besides, the arrow deal was a legit startle so reaction, so it's mostly understandable. As we walked I attempted the small talk that one who works at a summer camp and goes to college perfects. The "so what's your name? Your major? Where are you from? Oh that's neat, I think I know where that it. What year are you?" kind of small talk. Apparently he was not as well versed as I.

First thing out-"Well I'm Juliana, what's your name?" He seems to think a moment and then replied "You may call me Leo".

Smiling politely, I continued, "Okay, so Leo, are you a student here or just in the area?" "I do believe I'm just in the area for now".

Well he hasn't been the most forthcoming with information yet, but since I'm used to awkward antisocial college kids, have yet to be kidnapped, and was becoming increasingly intrigued by his accent, I continued on.

"Did your friends give you the slip on y'alls hike then?" "I'm actually out here alone"-was his response-"I came upon this place by mistake actually"

Well if he accidentally got here, then where was I taking him? I continued on with my pleasantries until I relaxed enough to notice a slight clinking sound that persisted in following us. Now originally I had just taken in a cursory look at the guy, long blonde hair, green shirt, light brown pants tucked into brown soft leather boots, and a smooth and fair face. Obviously I was already aware of his bow and subsequently a quiver of arrows (seemingly handmade?) on his back. With this new sound however, I cursed myself for not noticing he was carrying a sword. A freakin' sword? Okay sure I'm a nerd, I own a replica of the sword of Gryffindor and a few nerd swords, but no this was a full out medieval knights sword that even sheathed at his opposite hip I could tell had seen some damage. Noticing my look, he stopped and looked directly at me. Yeah wow okay he had some blue eyes.

Opening my mouth to question why he had a sword, he quickly answered for me. "I mean you no harm Juliana. I appreciate your help thus far, but I am afraid I'm going to need a bit more help than you may have originally thought. You seem friendly enough, and your help and trust of me to this point shows of your good nature. So now I ask you to allow me to explain and ask a few things as we continue. You will think me crazy, and I very well might be, for I am at quite at a loss still, but please try and hear me out."

Now again, I've read enough fanfiction to know where this was going. Something was not right with this guy and the more I looked at him the more I began to figure out why he looked so interesting and oddly familiar.

When I didn't start walking again with him, he glanced to the darkened sky and said "Unless you wish to be out here in the dark and I know not where we are, I suggest we get to where it is we are going. I will explain what I can along the way. To begin, I apologize again for taking aim at you earlier, I'm usually much more aware of my surroundings. And next, I must apologize for having already lied to you. My name is not Leo. That name just seemed it would sound less surprising to you in the moment. You many call me Legolas. Legolas Greenleaf."

Now that, that was definitely not something expected to hear today, a yet I couldn't find it in myself to find a lie in his words. My confusion and shock were evident on my face, which is when why he looked so familiar finally clicked into place. This man looked more or less like I had originally pictured Legolas as in my mind before the LoTR series took the screen with Orlando Bloom. He wasn't far off from Orlando, but in that moment I decided I was either with a very dedicated cosplayer, or my wish for something extraordinary had finally been realized. Despite my reservations I began to move, and he began to tell his tale.

The sun was in the final stages of setting and the two of us sat on a large rock structure that over looked the river below. We sat in silence, both staring off into the distance and the lowering sun. Legolas has described to me a series of events that led to him being here. A quest for an enchanted crystal gone horribly wrong. In the final battle for the crystal, all of Legolas' company has been slain or incapacitated. As he dove at the foe in one last attempt to subdue him, he had knocked them off the ledge, the crystal going flying through the air. As they all tumbled into nothingness, Legolas has grabbed for the crystal. The instant his hand touched it, his world went black. The next thing he knows, he is waking up in an unfamiliar forest, dressed in garb more suited for this time, weapons restored, and wounds healed.

Generally I'm a pretty good judge of when someone is lying or not, and I couldn't find any hint or discomfort in myself to suggest his dishonesty. It sounds absolutely insane, just as he said it would, and yet, there was a genuine spirit to this Legolas. When his hair had shifted in the evening breeze, his ears became easily visible, and as a cosplayer, I know fake elves ears when I see them, and this was not fake. Call me crazy. Call me stupid. Call me whatever you want, but I believed him. I still wonder to this day why.

"So it's all true then? The books that JRR Tolkien wrote about all of you?"

"Tolkien you say? I've heard that name before...but yes the Tale of Smaug and the Lonely Mountain and the Fellowship. That was all many decades ago however, many years have passed since I have seen the Fellowship, outside of Aragorn on business from stately matters. Middle-Earth has been rebuilding since the last accounts of your tomes...scattered Orc raids and typical banditry are the extent of it. This whole crystal business was meant to be a simple excursion. But, as you know it seems to have gone horribly wrong. I lost many good elves in that fight. I just pray it was somehow worth it."

The look in his eyes was one of deep sorrow and loss. I placed a hand on his shoulder for a moment before standing.

"We really should be going. This Park gets dangerous at night, and I don't think your story would bode well with the authorities should you get caught up in anything. Let's head back to campus, I've got a few guy friends from band who may be able to hole you up for a while."

By the time we arrived at my car, I was glad I had brought a full bottle of water and had worn my knee brace. The weather was pleasant so as soon as I started the car I opted for windows down instead of AC. Noticing Legolas had to yet to get in the passenger side, I got back out to see the problem.

Legolas was walking around the car, giving it a quizzical look. "You can control this thing?"

"Yeah, I learned almost four years ago, it's very common. It's a car. Those loud roaring noises you heard on the roads earlier? Those were cars passing by. They are a bit loud and smelly, but they are the best way to get around now-a-days."

Noticing his continued hesitation, I smiled with reassurance and gestured him to take a seat as I sat and buckled myself in. He followed my lead and continued to inspect the inside of my car. Thank goodness I'm very picky about keeping my car clean. I turned the CD in the radio system up a tad to alleviate the foreseeable awkward silence. The only CD in my car at the moment was that of my favorite band, a cello group. Yeah, band nerd remember?

We started our drive, Legolas marveling at how smooth the ride was compared to a horse, and continuing to be impressed by my ability to control it. We passed through downtown, and despite this being a fairly small town, the street lights and taller buildings encapsulated him. His quiet observation was very suited to how I imaged this character, learning from observation on his own and only asking few questions his deductions couldn't quiet fill in.

Feeling my own hunger return, I remembered the dining halls would be closed by now, and Legolas' last meal had probably been long before their battle. We were practically back on campus now, so rather than drive to get fast food, something I'm not sure Legolas would enjoy, I figured I had enough small things in my room to manage a sort of meal.

When we pulled onto the Main Street through campus, Legolas made a small sound of appreciation at the campus' unique beauty. It was no forest, but for me, it was home. The lights around campus at night gave it a special ambiance of beauty that you can't get many other places.

As we pulled into the parking garage by my dorm, Legolas' continued to move, taking in the many different shapes and colored cars that nearly filled the four story garage. My dorm building was only a few years old and was in fantastic condition, sporting the classic red brick and elegant architecture customary throughout campus. I advised Legolas to leave his weapons in the trunk of my car since they were kind of a big no no on the property. He seemed uncomfortable at first, but upon seeing my own bow in the trunk of my car he conceded as well as giving me a appraising look.

"You are an archer? I did. Not think this world would have the need for them"

I laughed a bit before explaining, "I'm not an archer. That bow is from a costume I made and wore recently. I was a popular hero a lot of people like who is an archer. It was for a party. I can do a bit of shooting, but it has been a long time"

"Maybe I can help you back into practice some" was his polite reply, considering he probably didn't understand most of my explanation.

I made a noncommittal hand gesture and headed towards the large dorm building.

"This is where you live? Surely, this is much like a palace. You are not royalty are you Juliana?"

Laughing for real this time, I replied, "No I'm definitely not royalty. This is called a dorm, it's where students live while we do our studies here. Only one of the rooms is mine. There are many other building like this one around, most of them are bigger."

I swiped my ID card to open the door and continued up the side staircase with a wave to a group of friends who were undoubtedly working on the engineering homework due in the morning.

Legolas did a good job of remaining quiet and by my side as I led him to the third floor girls side of the residence hall. He seemed well aware of the low profile he would need to maintain to avoid causing any problems. Unlocking my door, I was relieved to find my roommate was absent for the time being. She spent most weekend nights with her boyfriend who lived on the boy's side of the same floor. Luckily we didn't pass by any of my close friends in the hallway. I certainly didn't need them teasing me about being friends with ANOTHER guy.

I have this reputation of always ending up being "one of the bros" as my friends say. Growing up with an older brother and spending tons of time outside doing sports and work with my dad had left me in a place where being friends with guys was much easier and comfortable than trying to find common ground with girls. So essentially this gives me a few close girl friends and an abundance of guy friends who all have the protective older brother vibe going on with me. (When in all honesty most of them I could easily beat up or out smart in a calculus problem. They were mostly band nerds or engineering majors anyways.)

I told Legolas he was welcome to sit at the desk chair and make himself at home while I rummaged through my food drawer and found two EasyMac packages. Perfect. Nothing says welcome to college like watery, fake Mac&Cheese. As I heated up the water in the microwave and stirred the cheese powder into the bowls, Legolas asked me polite questions about my modest decorations. Mostly I just had pictures of my friends and family. The friends were almost all the people I had worked on staff with at a summer camp. So needless to say we were all laughing and making silly faces and just in general having a blast.

"Do you play music Juliana?"

Apparently he had now noticed the small collection of instrument in one corner of the room. Handing him his Mac I answered.

"Yeah I do. I have for about 9 years I guess. Nothing I have here I can pull out quickly to play, or play it quietly as not to disturb people. Bassoon isn't exactly a subtle instrument. Do you play anything?"

"I suppose so. I can read music and I've done some singing, but nothing outside of what all elves participate in."

He then took his first bite of the food I handed him, and I've got to say, if I was in his shoes, I would have been a bit more suspicious of eating some random dish from a world I had just appeared in. Thankfully he seemed not to be completely disgusted by it and we ate in silence, him sitting at my calculus covered desk, and me sitting on the floor against the wall opposite trying my hardest not to make my stares too uncomfortable.

One of the girls I share an adjoining bathroom with decides to come into my room through the bathroom that connects our rooms. Katy is another engineering major, but frequently gets behind on homework. I'm not surprised to see the first of four cal 3 assignments that are due tomorrow morning in her hand.

She starts a bit when she sees a random guy in my room, but assumes he is another of the many other baritone players from the marching band that I hang out with, she apologetically begins talking.

"Juliana I'm so sorry to disturb you again. I can come back later if you guys are bus-" I cut her off, grateful for a quick distraction to take a step away from the interesting man in my room.

"It isn't problem at all, what you got this time?"

Swiftly, I explain to her how to work this specific partial derivative chain rule problem. Gushing her thanks and returning to her room with an awkward wave at the guy I introduced as "Leo", Katy closed the bathroom door and left the two of us once again alone.

I was surprised to see Legolas looking at me with a peculiar expression. "You are very intelligent Juliana, what is it you are studying here?"

"Ah, um well I'm studying to be an engineer. Basically someone who uses a ton of math and science to design, build, and fix things. I want to be a missionary engineer, to take my work to other places that really need the help but can't afford it. To help strengthen them so their people can grow."

"That's very noble of you, I must say. I'm fairly versed in mathematics as part of my earlier century educations, but from what I just heard, you are strides far beyond anything I was ever taught."

I shrugged a bit. "Math has always been easy for me. That isn't my biggest concern right now. Actually, my biggest concern right now is what to do with you. My roommate won't be back tonight by the looks of it, so I guess as long as we keep you being in here quiet, and find a way to sneak you out with me in the morning, we shouldn't have a problem. Tomorrow maybe we will have time to figure out what it is exactly you are doing here and what you need to do to get back."

When Legolas looked down, I knew something was off. "Well Juliana, I'm sorry to say I might already know the answer to part of those questions. You see, as I grabbed for the crystal, my foe had a hold of me. It is very likely that he and the crystal were dropped off somewhere else in your world. I can't be here in good conscious without finishing what he and I started as well as securing the crystal."

Sighing, I said, "This is becoming more and more like a bad fanfiction every second. Alright, well tomorrow I have classes, but you are welcome I join me for the first morning ones. I can say you are an exchange student who is looking into the school of engineering here. After lunch I can drop you off at Dawson Park so you can check things out while I'm at my band rehearsal and take care of some homework. I can pick you back up when it gets dark. That sound alright with you?"

Seeming intrigued to attend my classes, Legolas agreed and at my request, made himself busy with memorizing the Dawson Trail maps while I finished up the last part of my engineering program and got ready to sleep for the night. I continued to work at the never ending pile of assignments after I showed him the shower and gave him my one extra towel and an extra men's t-shirt I had from camp and some of my brother's old running shorts I had kept due to their comfort.

Rubbing my eyes and seeing it was already past midnight, I shut down my laptop and stood up, stretching from my desk. I was already uncomfortable sharing my room with a guy I only knew from the apparently real books j had read, and it certainly didn't help when he emerged from the bathroom, shirt clinging to his muscled chest and arms and blonde hair nearly braided back on the sides out of his way.

Yep, I thought to myself as I tried my hardest not to look at him too much, this was definitely turning into a bad fanfiction.

I had printed out the Dawson maps at his request, and given he wouldn't be sleeping anyways (it's not often we elves sleep, he had said) I expected him to be up all night studying them.

I crawled into my bed, as we continued to exchange easy and casual conversation, mostly back and forth questions. His were mostly about the peculiar things he had noticed so far in his time here, and mine about the various things I remembered from the many tales of Middle-Earth I knew. We shared a bit more about ourselves, and as it grew to the point when I was beginning to fade, I forestalled his next question, promising he could continue in the morning, and bid him a good night.

"If you need anything, just let me know. Please don't leave the room, I could get in so much trouble for having you in here. Plus my friends would never let m wheat the end of it. Well happy hunting, I'll see you in the morning."

"I will try my best. Thank you, truly, Juliana, for the kindness you have shown me. I fear for what would have happened should a less understanding and accepting person had stumbled upon me. Sleep well, and may the stars bless your dreams"

Leaving the desk lamp on for him, I turned out the main light and pulled up my covers, rolling to where my back was to him. I smiled to myself at first, not quite believing my time for something extraordinary had finally come. The smile fell from my face for a moment, though, as I began to think about what the next few days would bring. You can do this, I thought to myself. Just relax and get some rest. Pretend there isn't one of your favorite, most attractive characters sitting right behind you. Yeah. That's it. This is definitely turning out to be a bad fanfiction.

 **Well there is the first chapter. Send me your thoughts. The response to this story will determine its future.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the second chapter! Hope you enjoy the developments to come. Thank you all for the support and views! Once more, reviews and responses to this story will keep it going. I do not own anything, I'm a poor college student.**

I woke up to my alarm going off on my phone and it not being plugged into the charger by my bedside. Instead, Legolas was holding it, turning it over and over, attempting to find a way to turn it off. Surprised by my own lack of surprise as to him actually still being here and not having been a dream, I sat up and said, somewhat groggily, "Touch the screen and slide it to the right." It took him a few tries, but when he did get the screen to move he made a sound that could be taken as surprised confused and impressed all in one. He proceeded to swipe back and forth on the pages of my phone while I put on my glasses and attempted to wipe the sleep from my eyes. Looking back at the elf (the freakin' elf!) in my room, I was instantly grateful I slept with my hair braided so it remained somewhat maintained. I noticed a few things were shifted around on my desk, which presumably meant he got bored through the night looking at the maps and shifted through my engineering and calculus work.

"How did you sleep?" He asked.

Smiling and fully standing out of bed now, I replied "Well enough, still feeling fresh from the hiking yesterday so that's good. What about you, how was your night?"

"I have the maps fully memorized. I spent the last few hours of the dawn looking through your papers and trying to discern what their function was. Some of the notes and figures on the page are beyond me. What language are they, for it is not the Common Tongue as I know it."

"Ah that would be Greek I think. In math and engineering we run out of our own letters so we use the letters from another language as labels for many things."

"You will have to show me how you use these letters in your math. Mathematics was always an intriguing topic to me in my earlier studies, but yours seems very different."

I grinned at him and explained, "Well I think you'll get the chance to have a bit explained by some of the best. That is, assuming you're still fine with coming to classes with me?"

Accepting his nod, I stepped toward him and asked for the phone that was still in his hand. Noting the coolness of his fingers as he placed the phone in my palm, I checked the time and the weather. Thanks to Texas spring, it can be 80F one day and then 60F the next. Today was sunny but with a definite winter chill still lingering.

Knowing that my roommate had left for her 8am from her boyfriend's room, I suggested Legolas change back into his attire from yesterday, because while yes, it is college and you can wear whatever you want, the engineering students tend to be on the more intelligent side which somehow equates to a higher standard of dress. Now, nothing fancy, but it just generally means I end up wearing nice jeans or shorts with a t-shirt or the occasional casual top. Gym shorts and sweats are usually not a thing at this college (except for finals week of course).

Leaving him to change, I went into the bathroom and quickly got myself dressed and ready. My first class was Engineering Analysis, a programming engineering class that basically teaches you how to solve complex problems using loops and conditional statements and yeah...MatLab script writing. Basically it's super nerdy and super fun.

I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later just about ready to take on the undoubtedly curious day. The engineering class was in a room adjoining the dorm building so getting there by 10:10 was never a problem. Seeing my guest was just as well ready, gazing out the window that overlooked a grassy and tree covered field between two department buildings. Gathering my laptop and spirals for the day, I shouldered my ever packed backpack and opened the small mini fridge the dorm rooms had. I tossed Legolas a clementine back handed, know very well he was aware and could catch it. I took one for myself as well and we were out the door. As we walked down the hallway, I provided Legolas with some basic information he might need to know should someone question him or if we get separated. His name was Leo, visiting the school from New Zealand as a prospective student. He's taken his basics back home and is looking to branch out some and move to a school in Texas. I've actually hosted German exchange students in high school, so I was on the list of available hosts. If we get separated, he is to ask someone for directions to the visitors center where I will hopefully arrive at shortly. It wasn't a perfect story, but hopefully it would do for the time he was here. However long that was to be...

Greeting and waving at several people in the dorm as we left, I noticed Legolas' hair had shifted and part of a delicate ear too was peeking through. Again, at college, long hair dudes were not an uncommon thing (especially if they were presumably from New Zealand apparently) but I doubt people would miss the pointed ears thing. Stopping us right outside the classroom on the fairly low traffic sidewalk, I turned around so I was facing Legolas rather than by his side. The height difference was comfortable enough where I wasn't looking up at an uncomfortable angle to see his face, and subsequently his ear.

Quietly, I informed him, "Your ears tip is poking through your hair. Can you fix it?"

He moved his hands towards either side of his head and felt for the tips. One was still subtly concealed, but he felt the other one. He attempted to shift his hair around a bit to hide it, but only seemed to enhance the problem. Biting the inside of my lip I tried not to laugh or grin at the utter ridiculousness of the entire situation of my life at the moment.

Lifting my hand towards the side of his head, I asked, "May I?"

He sighed in defeat and twitched up the corner of his mouth, amused as I tried to brush and smooth his hair into a proper place. Being what he is, his ears were quite sensitive, and I one again found myself biting the inside of my lip as a chill seemed to pass through his body and into mine when my fingertips brushed his skin. When I looked away from my handiwork, I was surprised to find him staring intently at me once again.

Grabbing my hands, he inspected them, and make his observations out loud. "You have peculiar hands Lady Juliana. They are steady and gentle, but I can see from the scars on them and callouses that they are well worn from working. Yet, there is still an elegance in your finger. Do you know why this is?"

Suddenly grateful for my abundance of close guy friends, I was able to have this man hold my hands without shaking or feeling uncomfortable. Marching band grants you a sort of closeness ad brotherhood amongst section members, so in a section predominated by males, who treated you as one of the bros, I have a great amount of comfort interacting with guys in most all circumstances. Looking at his face, our eyes met.

"I think it comes from a combination of things, honestly. I've always been an outdoorsy type, even when my brother was not. I played sports, learned self-defense, helped out at my grandpa's farm, and I've done quite a bit of land maintenance and kitchen work at a summer camp. Playing the bassoon and doing keyboard percussion gave me fluidity in my fingers, as well as the first aid training I took a couple years ago."

Once again, he looked at me strangely. "Juliana, you have the hands of an elven warrior. Capable and strong, but gentle and compassionate."

He smiled as he said this, and gently lowered my hand to where they hung between us and then finally released them. I thanked him, assuming it was a compliment-it sure was for me, being compared to an elf in any way. We began to walk once again, now nearly at the door. Unbeknownst to me, our interaction had not gone unnoticed.

As usual, I was early to class by a few minutes. This gave me time to add a chair next to mine in the front (bad eye sight props) and start up my laptop. The classroom was simple enough. Small for a college room, no doubt, only about 30 seats. For the engineering school this was normal however, considering a lot of our work is very hands on and user based, not conducive to large lecture halls. Your laptop and your TI-89 calculator are your best friends in life. Legolas was intrigued by the room and its lights and projectors. Because there were already a few students in the room, I couldn't explain exactly what everything was, and he was aware of this, so he sat next to me, watching my hands type and pull up the last program we were working on in class.

The silence between us was beginning to get a bit too thick, despite his interest in the program being written on my laptop, so I was quite grateful when my two friends in the class walked in together like always. They took their seats to my left, Legolas being on my right. Sam and Adam were both guys in the baritone section of the marching band with me here at college, and despite both being well over 6 foot, were basically computer nerd teddy bears. Greeting me with their usual enthusiasm, they immediately noticed my acquaintance. True to their personalities, both introduced themselves and went to shake his hand before I had the chance to even return their greetings. Legolas seemed startled by their sudden arrival and introductions, but managed to put up a winning smile (and boy was it winning) and shake their hands, introducing himself just as we had discussed.

Both guys to my left looked genuinely interested in him being from so far away, but rather than ask him more about where he was from, they decided to play the big brother card (the baritone section being 22 of us, and 17 were guys, so I had become the subject of all their protective instincts) and asked how he knew me. Well, the way Adam worded it was "So how exactly do you know our Juliana?"

Saving him from the explanation, I offered our story of being an exchange student host, which they both already knew from before so they easily accepted it. As usual the two of them then went off of a humorous and loud conversation about one of the many nerdy things we joke about. To others it just sounds like gibberish but to us, it was hilarious. I couldn't help but join in and watch Legolas' reaction of amusement. Our running joke with the three of us in the class was programming different loops and functions to output words or puns based on their purpose. The number eleven is extremely comical for the entire baritone section, and I could explain why, but sometimes band humor is better left unsaid. The small time in the corner of my laptop screen read 10:12 and the professor walked in. Now Dr. H was one of those professors who is fairly young, only having graduated ten years ago from college, the same college he now teaches at actually. He is an electrical engineer so software, circuits, and programming is his thing. This guy is extremely personable and friendly. He also has a reputation for being very enthusiastic and dedicated to his craft. Willing to teach in different ways and very patient with students, he was easily one of the most liked engineering professors. He is also and alumni of the marching band, so he had a special affection for the three of us in the front who March and do engineering just like he did.

Pulling of his sunglasses and greeting the now full class, Dr. H tossed his bag and jacket onto the nice chair upfront and smiled at us all.

"Alight I hope you all had a relaxing and fun weekend, because today we are going to learn how to do image processing using MatLab! By image processing I just mean we are going to do some cool math in loops and make Instagram filters on your laptop."

Clapping his hands once and bouncing on the balls of his feet he moved behind the podium that had a desktop secured to it and began to pull up the program. As he adjusted the screen resolution, Dr. H noticed the man next to me, and knowing it was too late in the semester for class adds, he assumed he was a visitor.

Addressing Legolas directly, he said, "You must be vising! I'm Dr. H, Let me know if you have any questions about our engineering program after the lecture, and I'd be happy to talk to you about the school. What's your name and where are you from?"

Since it was a small class, everyone was aware to the conversation up front, and luckily, Legolas is not one to shy from the attention of the room. As he rose gracefully to his full height, I was reminded that this man (elf) was royalty. He knew how to carry a room and speak with conviction and authority. He has rallied armies, and negotiated war terms. He spoke confidently and with ease, adding to the authenticity of his introduction.

"Thank you for allowing me to sit in on this lecture. I am Leo. I am visiting from New Zealand as a prospective student to your program. Juliana is my American host for these next few weeks, so I hope to see many of you around the campus."

When he sat back down, is saw his eyes shift to the side to look at me for approval, and I quirked up the corner of my mouth in affirmation to his speaking. Any of the girls in the class were already trying to memorize his face and savor his exotic accent. We may be computer and math fanatics, but we aren't blind.

Dr. H grinned and said to him, "Well Leo we are very glad to have you, especially from so far away. Welcome to America and welcome to Texas!"

With that he began the lecture, showing us how to take any image and run each pixel as addressed in a matrix and multiply that by some constant for every single pixel and then add them all up. The program spat out a new image that was under some filter. These ranged from edge sharpen, to blur, to colorize, and many more.

The entirely of the class I sat with my laptop angled towards "Leo" as to help the facade of him interested in learning engineering. Honestly, Legolas was probably quite interested, but I would image his intrigue was mostly just watching a computer operate. When class was over, almost done of us noticed, as we were gladly playing around with the new program to different images. Adam and Sam has already found a way to combine filters. Dr. H dismissed the class, not without shouting a new homework assignment at us as we left the room.

Normally I would walk to my next class with Sam and another friend from engineering, but today I drug behind with Legolas, so we could walk alone and talk openly.

"Do you really think it will be a few weeks until we can get you home?" I asked with a bit of hesitation.

Legolas replied, almost grim, "No, I think it will be much longer. But I don't plan on imposing myself into you for much longer than a few weeks. I'm aware you have studies to attend and don't need my added conflict to your life. I've already imposed myself much more than I should have."

"You're thoughtfulness is much appreciated, but just so you know, I'm a big proponent of seeing things through to the end. I am glad to help, to try and get things back to how they are intended to be. It is not coincidence we ran into each other at Dawson. The people brought into things may not always seem like the most qualified, but your story is now just as a part of mine as mine is to yours. God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called. I'll see my part in things out to the end, because that's what you'll need if we are to keep things on their proper track."

We were now about to cross the street to head towards the massive science building. The science building does not look like an academic structure. It looks like a castle, with three huge towers coming off the main body, with steeples and a massive clock tower that chimed every hour. The front of it was entirely glass walls with several doors, all behind six massive columns, giving it a very classical Greek feel.

The building must have stopped what Legolas was about to say next to my response, because he instead said "How beautiful. The buildings here look as if they could have been from my world, just without the tree and forest surrounding and built into them."  
I agreed, for the architecture was part of what made me fall in love with this university. I voiced this and nearly tripped on the sidewalk when he said back to me, "yes, you certainly have an eye for beauty".  
Issuing a soft smile as a response, we came to the doors and I led us through the many hallways and upstairs to the huge lecture hall that my physics course was in. Grateful that Sam had saved me and Leo a seat around our usual spot, we took our places. The hall could hold about 200, and it was because of this I had no problems having Legolas there with me. Really anyone could sit in on the class and the professor wouldn't notice.  
Another of my friends from the baritone section was in this physics class and he normally sat next to me where Legolas was, so he instead sat next to Legolas. I introduced Gabe to "Leo" and much like Adam and Sam, Gabe greeted him graciously and even brought up causal small talk that occupied Legolas enough for me to take out my noted for the class and get myself oriented for the lecture. When the professor called us to attention and began, I mostly couldn't focus. Partially because the subject material was simple enough and partially because I was watching Legolas sketch a beautiful flower on a sheet of paper. Class dragged on and on, until it finally let out, everyone rushing to leave as usual. Saying bye to my two friends I intended to make a show of haste to Legolas so he would be prepared to depart quickly. My next class was on the opposite corner of campus and was quite a walk. It took nearly all of the 15 minutes of passing time to get there.

The day has cleared up considerably, with the sun making a sudden appearance. Students were everywhere, going all directions to their respective classes or dorms. Legolas and I merged seamlessly into the crowd, passing through the throngs of people.

"Sorry to rush, this last class is fairly far away," I explained.

Weaving around a group of frat boys, Legolas replied, "It is of no worry. I prefer to move ahead and move quickly. I may be immortal, but I don't like wasting time needlessly."

"I'm so glad you said that. I am way too impatient to get caught behind slow walkers. It is quite possibly one of the most frustrating things to me."

As if on que, I lost sight of Legolas in my peripherals, and when I turned my head back to catch sight of him again, I was amused to find he had slowed his walk to a mild canter. His expression was one of aloof innocence, and it seemed he was about to start whistling. I made a show of shrugging in mock indifference and picked up my own pace while glancing back at him with a look of amusement. Seeing he also has a mischievous glint in his eye, I turned around and kept walking, not putting another glance behind me. Let's see who would break first. I had nothing to lose by losing him. He very well knew this, and this all being in good fun, he ended up breaking first.

One moment I was walking, laughing to myself, and the next he has silently slid up next to me and slowed down my walk a tad by grabbing my hand.

"You are quite a funny human Juliana. I am glad it was you who found me in the woods."

He released my hand and I smiled at him, "You aren't that bad I guess. Not early as strange and unsettling as the books from this world suggest." I grinned a bit more at saying this and was glad to see he caught my joking, as he let out a sudden laugh, clear and smooth.

Now the class we had arrived at was by far one of my favorites. It was not common for engineering majors to take an interest in this particular field, yet I always had wanted to take these courses and my life had been changed all for the better because of them. The class we were about to enter was an ancient philosophy and theology class. It covered philosophers from Socrates all the way through the theologians up to St. Augustine's time. I had already taken the philosophy and theology class from medieval times, focusing more on Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Anselm of Canterbury, and Dante. I had the same professor for this class as I had for the previous one, and every day I leave class more intrigued and confused about life than the day before. And I absolutely loved it.

I gave Legolas no warning as to what this course would be covering, so when the professor jumped right into Aristotle's Ethics and discussing the human _telos_ Legolas was taken aback a bit by the stark difference in this lecture from the previous two. The professor and I have a good relationship in that he bases a lot f theology around music, which is something I identify with strongly. Many times in class I have to restrain myself from dominating class discussions. Thinking about thought, about virtue, about the human good, it was one of my favorite thing to do besides solve a complicated math problem.

Legolas was quiet for almost the entirety of the class, mostly because there was no way for him to participate, and there being only 18 of us in the class, it was difficult for me to try and talk to bout anything without being rude. It was my turn to be incredibly surprised when the professor posed the question "So what come first in a rightly ordered society? Good citizens or good law? Which begets the other?", and it was not one of the usual participants who answered but none other than my companion.

"Well according to Plato and Aristotle you must train citizens into good habituation by the enforcement of sound law as made by those qualified y their proximity to the highest good."

My professor seemed startled at first when he saw who was talking as it was not one of his regular students. "That exactly right, Im sorry I didn't catch your name. You must be visiting?"

"Yes, I am Leo. I'm visiting from New Zealand. Juliana is my guide."

"I see she is. Have you studied Aristotle and Plato before Leo?"

"Yes, actually, I know their works quite well." He said this in a peculiar way, and I was certainly going to ask how in the world he knew about Aristotle and Plato.

"Wonderful, I look forward to hearing more of your insight as the course progresses. Alright, that is it for today, you are dismissed."

Once we were out of the room and out of ear shot from any others, I asked Legolas how on earth he knew about these ancient philosophers.

His answer was not what I was expecting. "I was quite surprised to her talk of these men when we began the class, for I thought they were only of my world. Aristotle was a tutor in the courts of my father for a time, I was but a few decades old during this time, but I had sat in on a few of Aristotle's lectures with the elders of Mirkwood alongside my father. He was a peculiar man with a brilliant mind. "

I cut off what he was about to say next as I started mutter numbers and dates out loud. When I had finished my calculations I stopped dead in my tracks. "Based on how old you were in the timeline of the books and how that lines up with our world and the time when Aristotle was around, it would seem your first few decades of life were the first few decades _after_ Aristotle died. Are you meaning to tell me that _after_ Aristotle died he was in your world? How is that possible? What does that even mean? You actually studied under the Aristotle?"

Legolas had turned back to stand in front of me, and eyed me carefully. "I do not doubt your calculations Juliana. That is quite strange. There is no record of Aristotle from my realm until a certain date and at this time he was already an old man. So I guess it is possible that this was the same man, and equally possible he was there after having died in this world. I am here so movement between the worlds must be possible. How interesting. I will have to ask my father what he kno-…" Legolas trailed off here and furrowed his brow.

I looked at him quizzically and asked, "Is something wrong? Is Thranduil not well?"

He set his gaze upwards toward the sky, and I could see his jaw working. "My father has sailed the sea." Abruptly he turned, and began to walk. "Come, make haste Juliana, I must return to the wood and begin my investigation. I must find a way back to Mirkwood.

Obediently I followed, this time leaving with more questions and confusion than ever before.

Both Legolas and I were apparently people of not wasting words, because up to this point our conversations had been with ease and casual, neither minding the lulls that occurred. Silence did not bother either of us, but before now that silence had been built on companionship. Despite having known him for less than a day, it seems I am be able to read Legolas, and he just as well to me. The silence that crept between us now as we walked toward the parking garage was not the same silence that had been with us before. I knew Legolas was thinking about something of deep importance to him, and something was wrestling back with his mind and quite possibly even his heart. I knew it was not yet my place to ask about this, and if he needed me to know, I would have to trust that he would tell as I needed to know it.

When we had climbed the stair to the level my car was parked on, I broke the silence remembering we had no yet had lunch. And by broke the silence, I mean my stomach broke it for me. Legolas and I made eye contact, because I knew he has heard it. Slowly our neutral expressions both cracked into grins and from the grins we both let out a relieving laugh.

"Do you require we go get food before continuing?" he asked still grinning.

"Shut up, I can wait until after I drop you off, unless you need to stop too."

He looked at me and questioned, "Are you not going to accompany me in my search? It is not expected of you, but I had just assumed you would be joining me."

I shook my head as I unlocked the car and got in, "No, I have ensemble rehearsal in a little while. I was just going to drop you off and pick you back up at the same spot when the sun started to set. That gives me time to take care of some work and find you a more permanent place to stay for a while. Plus I would probably just slow you down."

We were now moving out of the garage, windows down and my typical cello music softly playing in the background. "But did you need to get food before you go out? It will be several hour before I come back."

Shaking his head, Legolas replied, "I do not need to eat as often as your kind does. If I get hungry I can find some berries to sustain me for the time being. I am very capable of maintaining myself in the woods, they are my home. I do not know much of your world, but the nature still speaks to me, as clearly as the tree back home had. Their voices are father away it seems, but they reach out to me, curious as to find one whose mind can begin to connect with theirs."

Not sure what to say next, I made a sound of agreement, and continued to drive, enjoying the now beautiful day. A thought struck me as we drove. If Tranduil has really sailed, then was Legolas the King of Mirkwood? Why would the King go on a quest, leaving his kingdom alone? What would they do now that he was absent? Not wanting to upset him,, I decided to wait until Legolas returned from this trip, so that he might have found some of his own answers first.

We arrived at the park, pulling into the same area had parked the day before, knowing this would give Legolas the best chance of retracing his steps. When we stopped, I got out of the car with Legolas, to open the trunk. Nodding in thanks, he pulled out his weapons, both of us hoping he may not need them for defense, but knowing that in events such as these, it was never good to be left unprepared. Standing outside the car, I pointed toward where we had emerged from last time.

"That way should take you directly back to the river trail and from there, the Highlander Trail. I be back when the sun starts to set."

He looked at me with gentle kindness, "Juliana, your help has truly been a high blessing. I hope to find what I am looking for out there this afternoon, and if I do, this will be the end of our time together. As much as I do wish to return to my realm, it saddens me to leave when we were just forming our bond. Do not wait for me past when the sun has fully disappeared. If I have not returned to you by then, it means that I have found my passage home. I do not wish this to be our last meeting, but you must understand my need to return home?"

I smiled back at him and although there was a bit of sadness in my eyes, I answered genuinely. "I understand Legolas. You are needed. Your people need you, and Mirkwood needs you. You have a quest to finish. It is apparently possible for people to travel between the worlds, seeing as Tolkien was able to record the events of your world and Aristotle was with you after he was here. So no matter what happens, I do not think this is the last time we will meet. If I'm being honest, I feel an ease with you, like we've met before, or we were meant to have this encounter. I will wait for you here, but in the case I don't see you again, thank you for your story. Not just this one, but the ones from before. Reading them gave me hope. Never stop fighting. Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn." I did not know why or how those last words came from my mouth. I assumed it was Elvish, but I never was _that much_ of a nerd to have learned the language.

Legolas looked at me in utter shock, hearing his own tongue. The words seemed to have a very peculiar effect on him, and I sensed a shift in his demeanor. What did I even say?

Legolas stepped closer to me and for a moment I though he was going to give me a hug in departure. Instead he lifted my hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. I smiled at him then, and laughed.

"Go, Legolas, you have much area to cover before nightfall. Good luck."

He nodded then, and I heard him utter something along the lines, "A star blessed meeting indeed," and with that, he was gone, running off into the trees, unbelievably light and fluid.

As I got back into my car and started to drive back to campus, I wondered about his last words and the phrase I had said. I knew what I had said was of some importance or significance, but was it related to what he said about 'a star blessed meeting'? Or was that just some elvish farewell?

The drive back was uneventful, but I did manage to grab some lunch on the way back. I walked into the dorm building, backpack and food in hand. I had barely made it to my hallway before two figures blocked my way. Oh no. I thought I had avoided this. Emily and Samantha, two of my close friends in the dorm from my hallway, stood in my way, both with huge grins and mischief in their eyes. I was not looking forward to what was coming.

It was not surprisingly Emily who started. "Hey. Soooo….how was your day?"

I rolled my eyes and kept walking, both of them following me. "It was fine thank you, how was yours?"

They were no buying it, and they knew I knew what was about to happen. Emily continued. "Oh it was pretty normal. I saw something kinda interesting today though, this morning on the way to class. What about you Sam, did you see anything strange?"

Sam smiled even more now, and kept playing along. "Yeah Emily, now that you mention it, I think I did."

Finally Emily cut to the chase, "Who in the world was that _beautiful_ man you were holding hands with outside?! You know I live my love life vicariously through you, so why didn't you tell me about this guy? Heck, even if you weren't involved with him you should have at least mentioned you knew a guy that gorgeous!"

I stopped her there, knowing she would keep going if I didn't. "I am not involved with that guy! At least not in the way you're thinking! And we were not holding hands! We were talking. His name is Leo, and he is a prospective student from New Zealand. Remember how I mentioned I used to host exchange students? Well I was the only one in the system who came to the school he was looking at, so he came to my classes today."

Emily and Sam were really not buying it. "So you're telling me I did not see you and tall blonde and handsome outside intensely staring at each other while you fixed his hair and then held hands? Okay last time I checked, you _so_ do not do that with foreign guys who you just met."

Emily looked at me expectantly, and I sighed in partial defeat. "Okay yeah, I moved his hair and he held my hands, but he was asking about the callouses and scars I have from working in the kitchen at camp and doing land work. But it isn't anything like what you are implying. He is having some complications back home, so I'll find out tonight if he is able to stay or not for a while longer."

Sam scoffed a bit before saying, "Yeah no body looks at me the way that guy was looking at you when they are asking about my hands. Juliana, I don't think a guy has ever looked at me like he was looking at you. You've either got to be blind or dumb not to see that."

Seeing my out, I retorted, "Well it's a good thing I'm legally blind then isn't it?"

All three of us laughed at this, my eye sight being an on running joke in the dorm building. We had reached my room, and the two of them followed me in without invitation, like always. Noticing the papers on my desk, Emily asked, "Since when are you into maps of Dawson Park? I thought you said you were the 'trust your instincts and hope' kind of hiker?

I shuffled them into a pile a set them aside, "I am, but a little bit of familiarity couldn't hurt." I hated not being completely honest with them, but there was no way I could tell them the truth, at least not yet. If Legolas never returned then I would let it be, but if he came back and was around us enough, Emily and Sam were going too suspect something different about him. And it wasn't exactly my place to explain his situation. Sam went into the bathroom, and Emily and I sat on the floor, Emily telling me about her frustrating English class.

Emily was midway through a sentence about the unfair grading policy the professor had when Sam came out of the bathroom, holding something in her hand. "Um, Juliana, what's this?"

I looked at what she was holding, and I worked very hard to not let the confusion show on my face. In her hand was something that looked like a headband, or maybe a circlet of some kind. The really strange part was it seemed to be handmade, woven and braided using parts of plant. A single white daisy sat on what was probably the front. Where in the world did that come from?

Seeing my blank expression and my lack of answer, Sam and Emily looked at each other, and Emily started talking before I would form any words. "Is this from Leo? _Was he in your room?"_

I stood while shaking my head, "Yeah he stopped by yesterday, but I don't remember him having this or leaving anything. Maybe my roommate left it here. That looks like something she would wear." My excuse was immediately shot down when Sam then pulled out a note that was written on the back side of one of the maps of Dawson Park.

"Would your roommate have left a note with it that said "A star shines over the time of our meeting."? That sure doesn't sound like a saying from around here. This is definitely from Leo. I'm calling you on your bullshit, he is totally into you. Explain. Now."

A star shines over the time of our meeting? Why did that phrase sound so familiar? Legolas has mentioned something about a star before he left… So this note was from him. But why? When did he make this, or where did he get it? And why leave me with a note? Realization dawned on me. He wasn't planning on coming back this evening. Even if he didn't find his way back to his world he was going to stay in the park. Again I just shook my head, at a loss just as the two looking at me were.

"I….I really don't know. I've got to get to practice, but I promise I'll be able to explain more tonight, one way or the other." I ushered them out of the room, placing the circlet gently in my backpack along with my music and car keys. I grabbed my bassoon and made my way across campus to the music hall. The last thing on my mind was preparing music for a concert, and not even playing one of my favorite composers, Frank Ticheli, could hold my attention. The two hour practice lulled on and on. When the conductor finally dismissed us with what segments to focus the practicing I never need to do on. I hurriedly put away my instrument and acknowledged a few of my friends around, and made my way out to my car. It was still about an hour before the sun would start to set, but I wouldn't be able to do anything else here, I needed to get out of the campus bubble.

Throwing my things into the trunk of my car, I headed towards Dawson Park. Parking in the usual spot, I got some of my work out from my backpack. Sitting under a tree a bit away from the parking area, I started my reading due for tomorrows Christian History class (Religion minor remember). Trying to focus on the history of the corrupt papacy, the time passed somewhat quicker than the previous hours. The sun started to dip down, lessening my visibility, so I decided it was time to actively wait for Legolas to emerge from the wood, although the chance of him returning were apparently lower than I had originally thought. I started out by sitting on the hood of my car, but as time began to pass I grew antsy. Looking around, I saw a few trees that would be good for climbing. Pulling myself up onto the fork of the branches, relishing the exertion from my arms, and focusing on my balance, I swung up into the tree, making myself comfortable among the branches. I began to grow nervous as time slid by.

Checking the time on my phone, as well as noticing the sliver of sunlight left, I knew the window of his return was quickly closing. Giving him another ten minutes, I lay in wait up in the tree, listening for any sounds that could signify his approach. Ten minutes slipped by, and then fifteen. Now in near darkness, and starting to feel the chill in the air, I started my decent from the tree. When I landed softly on the ground below, I looked up at the first stars beginning to shine through. Thinking back to the note and our departing words, the phrase I had said in elvish came back to me. Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn. Its meaning ran across my mind like an elvish to English translator. A star shines over the time of our meeting. How was that possible? How had I said the same thing Legolas had written prior to his departure? That was why he had given me such a strange look when saying goodbye. I had unknowingly said to him the same thing he had left with me. This is was too weird.

Shaking my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I prepared to leave, I almost missed the distant call of my name. Turning back towards the path way in surprise, I saw a figure with long blonde hair trailing behind him running straight for me. Not with was not a movie moment reunion run. This was an elf dead sprinting for his life in terror type of run. Whatever Legolas' plan had been, I was almost certain this was not part of it. When he saw I had stopped and was waiting for him, he yelled, much closer now, "Go! Get out of here!"

Taking his cue, I began to run back towards my car, even though I had no intention of leaving him. I started the car and instead of getting in, ran to the back side and opened the trunk, and yanked out the bow and an arrow I had kept with me from the Halloween party costume. I saw Legolas about to burst from the woods, and there was something, something _huge_ following not too far behind. At this rate, whatever it was would almost certainly catch up to Legolas before he could make it to safety. Notching the arrow and praying to God I remembered enough from my past shooting experience to not accidently skewer Legolas, I took aim at the general shape of the creature following him. If I could just slow it down for a moment, it would hopefully give Legolas time to make it to the car.

As soon as the thing broke the clearing, I let fly, hoping that I had at least hit something. The arrow sunk into what would have been around the leg area, and the beast howled in pain, stumbling just enough that when it came to a drop in the landscape it tumbled to the ground. Legolas continued to run at me, and I didn't waste any time in jumping into the driver's seat, throwing the bow into the backseat, and reaching over to open the passenger door from the inside. Legolas bounded the final distance to the car and just as soon as he landed in the car I threw it in drive and took off. I sped as fast as I dared on the winding roads trying to get out of the park. The only sound was the gravel shifting on the road and Legolas' deep breathing as he tried to compose himself. After several tense moments, I dared to ask, "Is it following us?"

Legolas shook his head, and taking a large breath o fair, replied, "No, it will not reveal itself to the rest of this world. He knows better than to do that."

Nodding, I continued to drive in silence, not sure what to say next. Luckily, Legolas spoke again. "That was the demon that fell with me into this world. I had not expected him to be so eager to finish what he has started. But Juliana, why, pray tell me, why did you come back for me?"

Staring straight ahead, I answered. "Well I found your note. So I knew you were not planning on coming back. But it was no coincidence we said the same thing. Something about this doesn't sit right with me. Plus I told you, I see things out to the end. Now I think you have a few more things to fill me in on before you are totally off the hook. Like for starters, how the heck do I know elvish?"

 **And there we have it! Send in reviews for more to come!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to all who have reviewed, followed and favorited! I appreciate the support and following for this story. I am about to enter into my last few weeks of class and finals so this may be a last update for a while. I will also be working at a summer camp this summer so my time with technology will be limited, so if this story is something you want to be continued, let me know, so I might have more of a reason to write in my free time. This chapter is a bit different, but nonetheless I hope you enjoy it. Hopefully I can get another chapter out to you before my summer begins. Many blessing to you all and happy reading!**

Legolas' POV

I could not or would not answer the questions Juliana asked of me on our ride back to her living area. I could tell she was trying very hard to remain calm and patient with my ambiguities and unwillingness to answer. In truth, I wished to share everything with her, I certainly trusted her enough already at this point, and the fact she quite possibly saved my life leaves me inclined to share more than I am with her. The problem with things, however, is I must sort through my thoughts before I can hope to explain all that has transpired, known and unknown. When we returned to the building, I asked her to meet me back outside in a few hours so I might determine what to do and say next as well as allow her to take care of her school work. I could tell she wasn't the most accepting of this proposal, but in the end she knew her work must be taken care of and that I needed some time. As well, I was grateful for a chance to tend to my injuries before she took notice to them.

"You better not try and run off again elf," Juliana joked.

Smiling, I replied, "My lady I would never, now that I have seen you shoot."

She scoffed at me, knowing just as much as I that her shooting skills were exceptionally average. Putting her hand on my shoulder, I suppressed a grimace as she gave a reassuring squeeze and entered her dwelling.

The night was young, and although I prefer nights lit only by the moon and stars, it was refreshing to follow the lit path ways between buildings on this property. There was a large courtyard area lined with tree, several of these trees having swinging benches. Sitting down to rest for the first time today, I let my mind slip into the past, absently going over the cuts and bruises across my body. I sorted out what to tell Juliana, both of past events and the ones of today.

It has nearly been two years since my father sailed to the West. After the Fellowship disbanded and Aragorn took his place as king, the sea began to call to him. He delayed as long as possible, more for my sake then his I am starting to believe. Years past, and the call for him grew too strong to delay anymore. A few days prior to his departure, Tranduil called me into the audience hall, dismissing everyone, even the guards. I had been patrolling Mirkwood for the past few months, and when he had heard I was only to spend another week among my brethren before setting off to Lothlorien, he requested my presence.

Tranduil strode off his throne towards me and gently placed a hand on my shoulder, one of the most fatherly acts he had shown me in centuries. It was then he told me of his leaving. I did experience a grief for a time, acknowledging the passing of an Age, but while the rest of the Mirkwood elves celebrated the reign of an honorable king, and blessed his passage, I was left to the preparations of leadership. The kingship was to be passed onto me. My entire life, centuries in the making, I had known this was my fate, and I was prepared to cancel my excursion to Lothlorien and assume my duties. The coronation would not take place for several months, as word needed time to spread, but the official recognition of me as the new King of Mirkwood was to take place the next day. That night, Galadriel came to me in a vision. She urged me to continue with my journey to Lothlorien, for she had urgent news.

That morning, just as the sun was cresting over the horizon, the recognition ceremony was held, and as soon as the formalities has been concluded, I set out for Lothlorien, despite the desires of the chief advisiors. As I began this journey, so did my father take his, refusing to be stayed by "my wild whims". Knowing the elves not to be people of quick and vast changes, I had no fear in leaving the people to exist on their own as I made my trek.

Upon my arrival, I first made to go visit with Lord Elrond, to share the news of the kingdoms, as well as my father's leave. When escorted to the garden where Elrond was, I immediately saw that Lady Galadriel was already present, as was her husband. Bowing my head to them in respect and recognition, they welcomed me, asking of my travels and how things faired in Mirkwood. Galadriel was watching me with keen eyes, and I suspected as soon as the moment was right, she would speak to me in my mind, calling me somewhere so we may exchange words.

At the news of my father, Elrond closed his eyes for a moment and there was a brief silence in acknowledgement for his life as King. "I had wished to deliver the news myself Lord Elrond, as well as visit Rivendell before my duties in Mirkwood became too consuming," I had said, in response as to why I had come alone and so quickly. Considering Galadriel had not offered information about this urgent matter out loud amongst the others, I was careful not to present that which may not be for all ears. I saw a glint of approval in Galadriel's eye, confirming my suspicions.

Elrond continued, "Your dedication to the people in commendable Legolas, this is why you will be a suitable successor to your father. I look forward to the years to come under your rule. Now, I apologize, but I must take my leave. There are matters in the court I must attend to, a task you very soon will grow to understand my lord. You are as always welcome to stay as long as needed. Should you need anything we are at your disposal. Good evening."

With a look, and probably some telepathy, Galadriel dismissed her husband, began to walk farther into the garden. _Follow me_ , I heard inside my mind. Obediently I had followed, feeling my anxiety grow. Deeper into the garden we had stopped, beneath a twisted willow tree, Galadriel had turned to me and said something that struck me to my very core, as nothing had before.

"You are sad Legolas. No-it is not because of your father. There is more. I see you have spent much of your time since the war in the woods, on your 'patrols' wandering the land. What are you searching for?"

I had not been prepared for such an inquiry, but I retained my composure and began to form a response. "The lands are still in unrest, I travel to learn what I may and help where I can. There is nothing sad about that."

She responded quickly, "No there is not, but I do believe that the unrest is more inside of you than it is in this land. No amount of destroying orcs will help that. So tell me, what lays on your heart? I know it, but you must name it yourself."

"If you know it, then why must I tell you? You speak in circles, my lady. And what of this urgent matter you require my assistance in? Surely my 'inner unrest' is not this matter," I spoke possibly a bit too sharp, but always the patient one, Galadriel looked at me as a mother does too her child.

"You are still young Legolas, despite what your experiences say, but you are old and wise enough to recognize a discord in your own nature. You are unlike many of your kind. Restless, ready for change, and eager to adventure. There is nothing wrong with this, but now in times of blossoming peace, you lose what majority of your life has been built upon. Where is your heart Legolas, truly tell me, for when you know, then the matters at hand can be attended to."

I stood for a moment, and seeing her expectant look, I sighed and lowered myself to the ground in a sitting position. She was wanting me to meditate, to look within myself to make known my apparent unrest. So meditate I did. My thoughts drifted vastly over the lands as I pulled my subconscious deeper and deeper into my being. _Where does your heart lie?_ The question burned itself into my soul, searing a path through my being. I felt the search deepen, and in a sharp snap, like when one pops a knuckle, suddenly painful but then relieving. It heightened the realization of something I was unaware of. Slowly and carefully I opened my eyes, seeing Galadriel looking at me with gentle care.

She asked me once again, still inside my mind. _Where does your heart lie?_ Out loud and in barely a whisper I replied.

"I do not know. And that is the problem…."

As the words were said into being, so too did the full realization. I did not know where my heart lies. My entire life has been centered around protecting my people in times of unrest and war. Travelling and fighting off evil. The Fellowship had been disbanded some time ago and I still struggled to find a place where that companionship and trust ran as rue and deep. I was searching for more than what was in my life and what was to come in my life. I could not be king if my heart was not with my people. My heart did not lie with me, and I know not where it is. The sudden disconnect gave me the feeling of being in an outsiders body looking in. I had lost sight of who I was and who I needed to be. I would not accept the peace of the land without first accepting peace into my heart.

Now rising, I faced Galadriel. Seeing she was giving me a sad smile, I knew my conclusions were the same as hers. "Now, Legolas, since you have found the roots of this problem, we are able to combat it. I have a quest for you. One of great danger, although not in the way you would think. There is a demon, remnant of the unrest in the land who possesses a gem of great power. I cannot say what this power is, as its magic is fleeting to my sight. This quest, should you take it, will not only bring peace to the final parts of the worlds, but also to you. There is a warrior you will meet on this journey, one who is unlike any you have seen before. The stars will be guiding and blessing this meeting, for from this warrior you will learn much. They will give you a foundation to flourish upon in your time as king, a friendship so strong and true that no other in your lifetimes can challenge it. This warrior is in a dark place as well, but just as they pull you back into the light, so too will you do for them. Now go, take several of your elves with you as far north as you can, the demon resides on the Edge of the World. Make haste, and worry not for your kingdom, it will be cared for in your absence. All coronations and celebrations will await your return, the elves are a patient folk. Go!"

After this, I had returned to Mirkwood, back to my people. Convincing my advisors and other officials that my leave of absence and the forestalling of my crowning was necessary was no easy task. It took nearly a full season cycle to put everything in order and prepare my group of warriors. I knew Galadriel grew impatient with my stalling, but despite her wishes, I found this time of great importance. My people must know that I am not abandoning them. And so one year after my father had sailed, I too set out on my journey.

For another year we travelled North, my men and I. It was when we reached a rocky cliff edge, overlooking a mist beyond I knew we had reached the true Edge. There was nothing in sight past the ledge. Below was only a consuming mist, and even the more sensory of us elves could not hear a whisper of wind or a ripple of water past this border. We truly had reached the edge of the world. Here is where we set our camp and began the search for the demon who possessed the gem.

I had not told the men of my deeper connection to this quest, they only knew of the danger the demon and the gem posed to this world, not the battle that was inside me. Now that my inner discourse had been named and brought into light for me, I felt the loneliness and loss inside me even stronger than before. For two years I had existed in this new haze, unsure of myself, searching and waiting for the warrior who would become my brother and my closest companion. I had felt brotherhood before, with the fellowship, among dwarves and men and hobbits, but I suspected now that this brotherhood to come with this warrior was one that would rival my bonds to those before. I imagined a warrior who shared my soul, one with whom my I could truly call my second half.

As we fought the demon, days later, and I watched my men be slain, I began to lose hope for my life. I did not think what I sought would ever come to pass, I saw this as my end. I did not even imagine that it was actually the true beginning of the quest. I pulled my mind back to the present, feeling acceptance settle into my being with the conclusions I had started to form. I had been wrong. Very wrong.

It was not brotherhood that had awaited me. It was a girl. A lone woman, whose heart I could read as surely as it were my own. A true companion yes, one also being pulled into a dark place, struggling to find where her heart lies, looking for something more than her world had to offer at the time. I had found the one who was as lost as I, and in my searching, I believe I have begun to find myself again. It had only been a few days, and yet, there was a solidity to our companionship. We could already read each other, on a level past words. We were of kindred spirits, and although our relationship was just beginning to form, I knew that Juliana was the warrior Galadriel had spoken of. She was not the type of warrior I had had in mind, yet I knew her to be a great warrior. Upon meeting her in the woods, and feeling a sudden comfort and trust, as well as noting her comfort in the forest, accompanied by her ease of conversation and willingness to accept me, I began to see the seeds of who she might be. When I had examined her hands, gentle and capable, sure of themselves and experience, I had known for certain. This certainty had solidified my decision I had made the night before while she slept.

I did not think I could stay with her. I had known that Juliana was the one to help me heal, but call it selfish if you wish, but I could not bring myself to involve her more into this quest. Even if it meant my unhappiness, I did not want to endanger this girl, one whose life had so much potential. With a heart such as hers, it was dangerous to encourage her involvement, because if I understood her as much as I believe, then not only would she insist on helping, but she would in disregard of her own safety. I could not live an immortal life knowing I had brought pain to one so ambitious and sincere. So I had decided to leave. I watched her sleep for a moment and then again looked to her picture and letters on the wall. There was a scrap of paper pinned to the wall, with words written quickly, smudged and with an unmistakable tear stain. I couldn't imagine her smiling face fallen into a frown, eyes not glowing in joy and happiness. I could not picture a tear falling from her eyes. I could not do these things because as soon as I did, I saw myself. Behind the life I lived, the joy I sought to show, there lies an emptiness I did not think could ever be filled. Until I had met her. I began to feel the haze within myself ebb away. But then, sitting and reading the words on the paper, ink billowed out in sorrow, I knew I could not let myself stay. The paper read "Do you think that this world is moved by random chance occurrences or do you believe that there is some guidance of reason present within it?" This sounded more like a prayer than a question, a prayer for there to be a guidance or reason. I suddenly felt I should not be reading it. She was asking for a reason to have hope. I could not give her that hope. I believed I could only give her a false hope. I would have to leave at some time. There was no other option, I had to return to my kingdom. I=Even if it was years later, I could not expect her to uproot her life and potential to follow me, and my people needed me. There was no way I could see this working I my mind.

So as I watched her sleep, I did something I not done in many years. I sang. It started soft, but as I continued, I felt the magic of my ancestors being to fill it. When I opened my eyes, I saw her still asleep with a gentle smile across her features, as well as a braided circlet with a single daisy upon it laying in my hands. A daisy…. A symbol of innocence and new beginnings. I smiled and looked out the window. A star shone brightly, bringing Galadriel's words back to me. Taking one of the map pages, I wrote swiftly "A star shines over the time of our meeting". Placing the two together, I planned to wait until we were preparing to leave for the day to place it in the bathroom.

This was all before we had spent the entirely of this day together. After having her conceal my ear and explain her hands to me, I had solidified my decision, seeing our connection deepening much too quickly. It pained me greatly to know I was not only robbing myself of her company, but robbing her of the chance to know more, but I again could not justify my staying at her danger. I was already beginning to care far too much for her, especially since I know I must leave her at some time. My decision had begun to waver as soon as she had started the thoughts of travel between our worlds being possible. But that was hope I should not hold onto. When I had mentioned my father, carelessly forgetting he was no longer in Mirkwood, I felt resolute in my desire to return home. I knew I owed Juliana the truth, but the truth was something I could not bring myself to explain. At least not yet.

Leaving her at the trail was much harder than I had imagined. She had a genuine concern for me and my mission. Her heart was true and sincere, giving me the feeling I would be able to succeed no matter the circumstances. I dreaded to leave her, so soon in our time. Then she said those words. Those blessed words that began with my journey. It took me a moment to realize she had said them in elvish, and even a moment more to realize she had not intended to say them. A star shines over the time of our meeting. Those were the same words I had left to there, but there was no way she could have known this. I nearly changed my mind in that instant, vowing to return regardless. Instead I murmured back, mostly to myself and partly aimed at Galadriel, knowing she was aware of the course of events. Juliana seemed confused, but this vanished as I stepped toward her and took her hand, resisting the urge to immediately embrace her. Instead I lifted her hand to my lips, and gave a gently kiss, hoping she knew how much I cared in that instant. She had laughed, beautiful and clear, and urged me on my way, surprising me with her lack of awkwardness and the ease in which she received my gesture.

Then there was the encounter in the woods. The demon had indeed fallen through, as had been my fear. I cannot deny that my fight with it was ill conceived, the continual welling blood on my shoulder a testimony to that, but I had to try. I had to find some weakness of the beast. I was losing sight of an escape and of a plan as I ran from the demon, sorely beat and seeking refuge, when I saw her in the distance. The light was gone, yet she remained, despite her promise not to stay for me. I called out to her, telling her to run. She had begun to climb out of the tree she was sitting in, much too at ease to have heard my warning. As we got closer, too close for my comfort, she finally heard my calls, and took off running an instant later. The only clear path to go was one near where she had veered off and as I grew even closer, I was dismayed to see she had not gotten into her carriage and fled. No she was poised, bow in hand, and arrow notched. In that instance I saw her in a clearer light, despite the darkness.

Juliana was a warrior in a spirit unlike I had seen before. Against my initial thought, I trusted my instinct and ran towards her rather than away now, throwing away all my decisions from earlier as I saw her standing there, a look of concentration, but not fear. I heard the arrow whiz past me, not a perfect shot, but one that did enough to give me the time to get to her safety. As we sped away, I chased after my breath, not remembering a time I had run that swiftly from danger. Juliana had remained quiet for the first part of the ride, both of us silent in the terror. She was first to break the silence, asking what I also feared, but I answered to the best of my ability and hopes. As we drove she began to ask me question to which I did not know the answer or could not give the answer, as much as I wanted to. My shoulder was beginning to ache and I feared there may be blood beginning to seep through the first layer of my clothing. I needed a moment alone to consider the course of events to follow.

And now fully my thoughts were back to the present, my mind was much clearer on what I would undoubtedly have to do. I needed to talk to Juliana and explain to her what had transpired with my father as well as with Galadriel. Her story was tied to mine, so I owed her that much in the very least (even more now that she had saved my life). Having tied a strip on cloth under my shirt on the cut on my shoulder, I began to make my way back in the direction of Juliana's building. By the position of the moon and the brightness of the stars, I could tell I had spent much more time than I have originally planned out thinking. It was because of this I was not surprised to find Juliana laying on the grass outside in the courtyard. She did not hear me approach at first, but as I got closer, I knew she was aware of my coming despite her lack of acknowledgement. Taking her silence as an invitation I lay down on the grass beside her, gazing up at the stars, searching for familiar constellations. There were none. My stomach turned in longing for the stars and forests I knew so well.

I heard a slight rustle as Juliana turned her head towards me, but I kept my eyes to the stars for a moment more.

"Tell me of your constellations Juliana, for they are different than mine. An unfamiliarity with the stars and the world around me is troubling."

And so she did, telling me tales of heroes, children of mythical gods, whisked away to the stars for protection, of shapes that had no meaning, and of animals and beasts that fought above in eternity. After some time, I stopped looking at the stars and instead looked at her. She did not notice, so captivated by her own story. In that moment I wondered how she could not be an elleth. Her love of trees and understanding with nature, her joy in the stars, her gentleness that could easily turn to loyalty and protection. She did not shy from her fear, but rather allowed it to push her farther.

I do not know how I could have ever considered leaving this one who was already such a dear friend. Had she known my reasons were selfish and of wanting to protect her, I know she would laugh at the absurdity of it, and scold me for thinking she needed protect, but thanked me all the same for being concerned. I knew this would be her response, without even having told her my reasons for leaving. But then again, I'm not sure if I would have to, because I was getting the feeling she knew. Well, knew part of the reason. That is why I had left her the circlet, to explain myself, and thankfully, she had understood. She had not however, agreed, as proved by her insistence in waiting for/saving me.

By this time, Juliana had noticed I had stopped listening to her story and was staring at her. Looking at me, she smiled, again a bit sadly, and that was all the invitation I needed to explain myself. So I told her. I told her from the beginning of my father's leaving, what Galadriel had told me and what she had made me realize, and of my selfish desire to leave. The entire time she remained quiet, listening and thinking. While I had been talking I had turned to face the stars again, but I could feel her eyes trained on me. I finished retelling all that had happened these past two years, feeling an unexpected weight lift from me as I shared where my mind was and admitted to another my feeling of being lost.

In that moment, I knew what Galadriel had said was true, for I already felt the changes inside me. A comfort I had not known before, one of kindred spirits, resting and trusting in each other. Juliana looked deeply into my eyes, and I believe she was searching for my heart and my soul behind them. She said this phrase, which I will never forget.

"Legolas, I am with you."

Juliana's POV

"Legolas, I am with you." I said, full of gentle conviction and understanding. And I was, I truly was with him, in more ways than I could have thought possible in such a short time.

Thinking to what Galadriel had told him, about the state this warrior he was to meet was in, I realized, probably much like Legolas had, that my heart was not nearly as settled as I had willed it to be. Yes, my heart did lie with engineering and my God, but they didn't lie _here_ with them. No not even here as in this university, I mean here as in this world. That quote from CS Lewis came to my mind again. "If we find ourselves with a desire that this world cannot satisfy, the answer must be that we were made for another world." I had always loved this quote, because it encouraged my passion for reading and for writing friction. Little did I know this may come to pass in full, well almost full.

After letting Legolas go clear his head, something we both needed, I returned to my room, avoiding conversation with anyone in the halls. Justifiably, I was a bit shaken up. I do not however, wear my fear on my sleeves, waiting until I was alone to decompress and unclench my "This means business" mode. I had collapsed into my chair and for a moment just sat there, staring into nothing, trying to organize my thoughts a bit more. Really nothing much had changed up to that point except I now knew there was a giant demon beast running around the downtown park. Legolas had not told me more about the on goings of what had led him here or led him to leave, but I knew something had shifted between us in our departure and in his return.

I expected to find out more, from both what was said and left unsaid after he returned, but for now all I could do was get caught up on homework and my studies until he decided it was time to return. Outside my window, I could see a figure with long hair, gleaming in the moonlight, walking towards the center of campus. Keeping a subconscious watch on the window for his return, I began my mounting pile of work, blocking out any extra thoughts in order to create maximum efficiency. It was well past midnight when I noticed a lone figure returning from the distance. Closing my book and rubbing my eyes I grabbed my room key and left, forgoing shoes. I reached the courtyard several moments before Legolas did, and I laid down in the soft grass, looking to the stars in contentment, reveling in the clarity of the night.

I could sense his presence before I heard his quiet footfalls. Legolas laid down next to me and allowed us both to exist in the silence. Then he did something I did not expect. He asked me to tell him about our stars. The tone of his voice and the unexplainable connection between us told me he was not asking out of interest to our history, but out of loss. He missed his home and his woods. I cannot say I understood the emotion he felt, but I can imagine that for anyone, especially an elf, being away from the stars and the tree he knew so well was unsettling. So I did. I told him the little that I did know from the mythology and the legends. After a while I noticed he was looking at me rather than the stars. When I saw the raw emotion in his eyes, holding centuries of wisdom and experience, but so lost in this world, I knew he was ready to tell me what he needed. So I smiled at him, soft and hopeful, showing my support and understanding. And so he began.

When he finished, my first and only initial response was a phrase I love from a great devotional book. "I am with you." This was better than saying "I understand", or "I get you". It meant much more. It conveyed that I was there with him in this journey, regardless of my understanding or his understanding. I was a part of this and I was willing to be there with him in it and through it. And I truly was, and I needed him to know that, especially in light of the revealed events.

I still wasn't entirely sure what all of this would mean for my future and apparently what was to be our future in whatever way that turned out to be. The only thing about it all that made me slightly uncomfortable was the manner in which Galadriel had described the warrior that could only be assumed to be me. I did not see myself as that person. I was not a savior or a warrior. I was just a stressed college student who was living my life to the best of my ability. I didn't quite see how I was going to be able to help Legolas find his heart when I did not even know where mine truly was outside the scope of engineering. We were both two lost souls, apparently destined to help each other find our way home. How that works, I have no idea.

After saying those words, Legolas looked at me in a way that conveyed such gratitude and understanding in a way words could not. We both knew now that he would not try to leave again without including me in the plan, nor would he be alone in fighting this thing. Galadriel had spoken true, we were pulling each other from our dark places, and our friendship was quickly becoming one much more powerful than either of us had known before.

Legolas took my hand in that moment of silence, reassuring now, and he now said to me, "I know you are. Just as I am with you. I don't know why we have been put together but I am grateful."

Carefully threading our finger together, I looked back up to the sky, smiling to myself. This man, this _elf,_ next to me provided a warm comfort, even on a slightly chilly night. I felt secure in myself again for the first time in a long time, and as much as I hated to say it was because of this guy, (it is dangerous to say ones happiness depends on other, thanks Aristotle), but I truly do believe that a part of myself that was cracked has begun to heal now that he is here. And the best part? I think I was starting to do the same for him.

In that instant, my phone buzzed, startling us both from our comfortable silence. Wondering who could possibly be messaging me this late, I saw it was Emily. And it was a picture. A picture of just a few moments ago, two figures paying in the dark grass, slightly illuminated by the star and moon light, one with long silvery hair, holding the hand of the other. The picture was accompanied by a single word. "Busted". Crap. I so did not have time to explain this, or rather, make up a way to explain this.

Sighing, I let go of Legolas' hand, immediately missing its fit. I sat up, and he followed suit, giving me a questioning look. Inhaling deeply, I explained, "Well it looks like it's time for you to meet my friends. God be with you."

Laughing, Legolas rose to his feet lightly, seeming much more like an elf in this moment under the stars, joy in his eyes. He pulled me up with him now, understanding I must have received a message from one of them. Instead of letting me go as we rose, he pulled me closer, into a tight embrace. For the first time in our encounters, I felt myself blush, as he put his head very close to mine and whispered, "Well then my lady, what cover story are we giving this time?"

To cover my sudden jitteriness, I laughed, gently pushing him away, and said, "The same as before you big dork, but feel free to explain whatever you need to, they won't let you off the hook that easy. They are pretty protective."

"Juliana, I've faced a dragon, an orc army, and have doctored a drunk Gimli, I believe I can handle your friends at this point. Let us go."

Shrugging, I led us inside, not sure I was quite ready to face the questions, but ready to be entertained and go along for the ride.

As soon as we reached my upstairs hallway, we made for my room, where I assumed Emily and Sam were already waiting. My assumption was correct, and as we entered, they were both seated, one in my desk chair and the other in my roommate's desk chair, moved to face my bed, ready to be an investigative team. Naturally they tried to play dumb at first, pretending to be shocked to see me enter with someone else.

"Oh hey Juliana! Who is your friend?" Emily asked, smiling. I really did love these two, and while they were looking out for my best interests, they were still good people and would not over step any bounds in courtesy.

Taking a seat on my bed, I patted next to me, for Legolas to take a seat as well. "Hey you two. This is my friend Leo I was telling you about earlier. He is visiting from New Zea-…" Here Legolas stopped me by placing his hand on top of mine. At this Sam and Emily looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Confused I looked at Legolas and waited for him to continue.

"Juliana, I do not wish to lie to your friends, and just as well I believe that they deserve to know the truth if you are to be so closing involved in this danger. Plus it will also be to your benefit to have those you trust with you in this endeavor, even just on the comfort of their knowing the truth. Lies, even in the best intentions are harmful to friendships. You've told me enough about your companions to know I can trust in them. I swear that their knowledge will not endanger them so long as they so not allow it to. Are we in agreement?"

Touched once again by his concern for my mental well-being, I nodded. It would be a huge weight lifted of me in the times to come knowing I had these friends to fall upon in full confidence.

"Okay, I agree with you. Let me preface this though, I don't know if your diplomacy is quite fitted for this type of explanation."

My two friends were now looking at me in complete confusion, and it was Sam who now said, "Juliana are you about to tell us something that is going to be more shocking than you possibly getting a boyfriend?"

I laughed at her ability to still be sarcastic in her confusion, and nodded. "Yes Sam, I think this beats even that obscure possibility. This is going to sound insane, but I promise it is the truth. You know me, and you know I wouldn't joke about something like this. Don't discount anything until it's been thoroughly proven against, and even then there are infinite unknown we cannot disprove."

"Always the engineer Juliana, just get on with it, we will listen, I promise."

"Okay well here we go then. This is not Leo from New Zealand. He is a very real person from a world we did not know was actually true. There seems to be an overlay somewhere between our worlds. Apparently a few people have been able to cross this overlay, although they never shared that, it was all kept a secret. JRR Tolkien was one of these people. Yeah that Tolkien, the one who wrote the Lord of the Rings. He wasn't writing fiction, he was recording history. A different world's history. And well, somehow the way between the worlds opened again and that's why we have our guest here. Sam, Emily, meet Legolas Greenleaf, now King of Mirkwood, home to the Elves."

At this, Legolas stood from the bed and bowed to the two before us. He then took each of their hands and raised them to his lips in greeting. "I apologize for having deceived those here, but I am glad to make new acquaintances in truth. I presume you have many questions. I cannot answer them all, but I swear to tell you what I can, that of which is of concern to you. The rest I will leave to Juliana's discretion."

Emily and Sam both had strange looks on their faces, but I could see in their eyes they could not find the lie or joke in what we had said. I knew what I had said challenged the basis of their worldly understanding, just as it had for me but, I suspected they would come to believe it soon. I had felt a rightness in Legolas' story, but that might have been due to my tie into the story, but nonetheless I was hopeful that his story would enough to at least open their minds to the possibility. They didn't have to fully accepted it as truth, but they did at least need to understand that something of abnormal circumstances was in play.

Neither said anything, so Legolas took this as invitation to give his explanation. The first thing he did, which was probably his best change at convincing them was to pull aside his hair and reveal the curved and pointed tips of his ears. "So yes, I am an elf. I am also the same Legolas from the tales you have read. I have seen much and known many years, but as of late I am on a quest that is of great importance to the future of my world, and possibly yours."

So Legolas began his explanation. It was very similar to the one he gave me in Dawson Park the night we met. He included little from the most recent conversation we had had, nothing more besides he was told he would join with a warrior from our world he believed to me that would help in this quest. I appreciated him not going into more detail on that part, as my depression and loss of heart was not something I openly talked about to hardly any besides my brother, my best friend from high school, and now Legolas.

By the end of the tale, it was getting quite late, and when my roommate came in having finished her work elsewhere, we all instantly put on masks. My roommate wasn't surprised to see people in our room this late, but I knew we would need to leave to get some rest for the next day. I briefly introduced Legolas to her as Leo now, and stood, guiding everyone out of the room so that she could get ready for bed and get to sleep while we finished up. Wishing her goodnight, we went into the hallway. When we stopped, Legolas and I faced Sam and Emily, searching for some answer to an unspoken question. They looked at each other now and Emily spoke for them both now.

"Okay we will go with this for now. It sounds crazy, you're right, but I don't know what other explanation to give. You guys do what you need to do to get things back where they need to be, and we will be here if you need anything I guess. I don't really know much about fighting demons, but if you get Juliana hurt, elf, there are a lot of people here who would wait in line to beat your ass, myself included."

Legolas looked less than intimated by threats but he did at least nod, and look down at me, a glint of a smile in his eyes. I smiled a bit, now feeling the exhaustion start to come over me. "Alright guys that's enough for tonight. We need to get some rest, it's been an interesting day. I'm going to take him to my brother's apartment to stay the night for now. I'll be back in a bit if you guys want to drill me for more questions before I call it a night. Thank you guys for listening. It means a lot."

We were not a huggy group of friends, so rather than do that, we all just smiled and went our separate ways, the two of them going to their rooms, and Legolas and I headed back downstairs. Legolas and I left the building and starting walking down the street, my brother's apartment not being too far off campus. On the way, we stopped at the garage for Legolas to get his weapons. He expressed his uneasiness being without them after today's events. He only had a handful of arrows left, and there was a dark blackish blood stain on his sword, testimony to his fight earlier. As he slung the quiver across his back I noticed the catch in his motion as he winced in pain.

"Crap I'm so sorry I didn't even ask if you got hurt. What's wrong with your shoulder?"

He smiled at my concern and replied, "It isn't anything severe. I heal quickly, it is just going to be sore and bruised for a while longer."

Now noticing a slight stain on his sleeve I stepped closer. "No, you're bleeding some. Lett me clean it and wrap it properly at least before we go. It would make me feel better in the least," I added seeing him prepare to deny my aid.

With a sigh he conceded, and turned to peel off his tunic as I pulled out the first aid pack from the trunk of my car. My dad was a cop and saw to it that both me and my first aid kit were fully outfitted and prepared for most types of injuries. When I turned around to a shirtless Legolas standing very close to me, I fought very strongly the heat rising to my face. Yes I had seen and been around shirtless guys a lot-band camp in college is basically a continual no-shirt holiday for guys-but still, Legolas was already extremely attractive _with_ his clothes on.

"Let's see those healer skills you have told me about now then," he prompted. Paying special attention to my task, I cleaned the sticky cut and patched it with some gauze securely. As I whipped away some the smeared blood, I asked how the cut had happened in his fight.

"Well that beast got a lucky blow on me before I could react quickly enough. Knocked me through the air and into a tree. The skin split from the impact I would imagine. The cut itself will heal rather quickly, but the bruising and stiffness will take some time to work itself out. I'll be perfectly fine a couple days, plus I've endured much worse for much longer, under much harsher circumstances, so please do not waste your worry on me."

I finished everything up, and as he gently moved to put his tunic back on I replied, "I'll stop worrying when you stop chasing after demons. Your antics nearly gave me a heart attack reading about them, and now I get to actually live through them. Do you ever feel fear Legolas? Or do you just run headlong into battle?"

As we resumed walking, he answered. "I trust my instincts. That is what I was born and trained to do. I've gone into battle many times and survived all of them so far. And yes, Juliana, I do feel fear. I use my fear to fuel my fights. It gives me strength, and it spur my reactions, it allows me to trust my instincts. It is a dangerous balance, letting yourself listen to your instincts when you know they are rooted in fear, but that is what makes a great warrior," he stopped walking for a moment and had me face him. "That is what makes you a great warrior Juliana. Realize it or not, earlier as you shot the demon, did you feel fear? Most certainly, but you also trusted your instincts. You let the fear clear your mind. It takes a very wise and experienced person to be able to separate the thin line between fear creating a fog and clarity. I do admit, however that I felt another kind of fear in that time. I feared for you. I feared that because of me you would not live to see your full life play out. Your life has so much potential. You are brilliant, compassionate, and wise beyond your years. You must know by now, even without me saying it, that this is why I left. I could not bear to be the reason you lost your dreams. Especially to one I have grown to care for far too much far too quickly. So I was selfish, and I truly apologize, even though I know you've already forgiven me. Now I must ask something of you. Is it acceptable to you for me to use my fear of losing you to be my fuel in this fight? It sounds ridiculous, but I truly believe that this fear is enough to give me the fortitude to find a way to overcome this demon. Juliana will you do this for me?"

I was nearly struck speechless. Most of what he had said I had already known, that was true, but still hearing him say it was different. It did sound crazy, and incredibly cheesy, but it was because of that that it might just work. I stepped forward, bringing us very close. Then I embraced him. There was my answer. He held me tightly, accepting and knowing what my embrace meant. He pressed his head atop mine, and I whispered into his chest,

"The fear you felt was the same I felt when I thought you weren't coming back. And now that you're back, I'm going to have a hard time letting you go again."

It was just my luck that as we had our touching moment, right before we pulled away from each other there was an eruption of sound and of blinding light. My senses all went askew, and a shock wave sent both of us flying. I remember hitting the ground, Legolas still holding onto me and I to him, and then there was a blunt force to the back of my head and my vision went from a bursting red to a consuming black. I then knew no more. All that was left for me was a throbbing pain, gradually being eased by a woman singing.

 _Sing all ye joyful, now sing all together?  
The winds in the free-top, the winds in the heather;  
The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,  
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower._

 _Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together!  
Soft is the grass, and let foot be like feather!  
The river is silver, the shadows are fleeting;  
Merry is May-time, and merry our meeting._

 _Sing we now softly, and dreams let us weave her!  
Wind her in slumber and there let us leave her!  
The wanderer sleepeth. Now soft be her pillow!  
Lullaby! Lullaby! Alder and Willow!_

 _Sigh no more Pine, till the wind of the morn!  
Fall Moon! Dark be the land!  
Hush! Hush! Oak, Ash, and Thorn!  
Hushed be all water, till dawn is at hand!_

 **There we go! The lullaby is from Tolkien not me! Please give some feed back and best of luck to everyone in their upcoming exams.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow somehow got this out before finals week started. The response to this story has been much appreciated. Quite a bit of character development here, but as boring as it may seem, its still important. Thank you all again and I hope to write to you again soon! Much love, and enjoy.**

There was nothing I hated more in the world than helplessness. Okay, that may not be entirely true, but the feeling of helplessness is one of my greatest fears. As a Christian that is sometimes a strange answer to fear, because with a God as infinite and powerful as ours than how can I be helpless? Well that's just the problem with being human. We don't have control, we have faith. I have lots of faith, yes, but we are flawed creatures. So that is why as my subconscious wandered and the ease and comfort from the woman's song slowly easing away as I returned to reality, I began to feel afraid. I could not remember what had come of us in the explosion. I had no memory of being saved, or if Legolas was safe. I was not even sure if I was alive. Although I did not fear death, I did fear the unknown, which goes back into my discomfort in being helpless. As my reality of thought slowly returned, so did the sensations of my body. They came tip-toeing in, knowing they were welcome and belonged but still unsure of taking their place. Think when you enter the home a friend you have known for a while, but you are just on the cusp of beginning a deep friendship. Being in their home is a strange thing. You know you are welcome but you can't quite sit at ease yet. This was how my awareness of my body returned. I became dimly aware that I was lying down, and once I desperate grasped on to that reality, more came flooding in. There were sounds but I could not make sense of them. I became aware of something soft under my head, which gave me more comfort than it should have, knowing I was not in immediate danger. The rest of my bodily aware came back more fully now, but I could still not open my eyes.

I was no stranger to blindness. I had gone through a traumatic eye infection that had left my blind for two week a few years ago, so while I did like control and knowing, I had taught myself in that time to trust and rely on other senses Rather than panic in the darkness, I focus instead on my sense of hearing. As one opens their eyes to see, I opened my ears to everything. Not just the actual sounds and words around me, but the way they were said, where they were said, the creaking of the room, the flow of the air, everything. Slowly, with this and a combination of the sensations beneath and around my skin, I started to piece together my reality.

I was laying on a bed or cot of some sort. There were at least three people in the immediate area, for it was not a closed room if it was inside. There was a slight breeze and the air was fresh. I felt a comfortable warmth from a mild amount of sunlight that was permeating around. All the voices had an accent and a light tone to them. Two were somewhat familiar, but before I could listen closer to, I realized that I could not understand their hushed and gentle words. I could almost recognize the language, but no sense came to the words. Maybe I was still not back fully enough for my brain to make sense of the words. There was a shift in the rooms balance as two pairs of footsteps left the room, and only one other person remained.

By this point I had assumed that I was not in immediate danger. I also found that there was a slight pressure around my head, which became more prominent as a throbbing grew behind my eyes. Right…I had been knocked out by a blow to the head. Must be a bandage. Remaining calm, I ran a list of question through my mind, trying to determine their importance so I might discern what my next course of action would be. I was now alone in an unknown place with an unknown person, not in immediate danger, but injured, still blind and unable to move, but aware of my body. Sure sounds like a coma, but I don't think comatose patients are quite this aware of everything. It just seemed like there was a thin barrier in mind that separated my thoughts from my actions. With nothing else to do or listen to, since the one remaining person was apparently just standing or sitting in the room waiting for something, I began to push against the thin wall in my mind.

It stretched and pushed against my will, but I felt that it could indeed be broken. With nothing else to focus my will on, I tore deep within myself to overcome my own mind. I felt for a moment what can only be described as my mind separating my brain as I dove back at the wall. Then, in a sudden release, the wall exploded, as did my world as my eyes flew open and I gasped in a deep breath, blinded of a different type but the sudden light. My breathing settled and the world above me came to focus. The sky was beautiful. My favorite scene lay above me, rich canopy trees gave ample shade, but the sunlight filtered through them in an enchanting way, giving a surreal glow and shape to everything. I felt a dip on the cot I was on and then in my field of vision another beautiful sight assaulted me. Had I not known any better but I would have it was angel, but it was a face I found far too familiar. With the sunlight casting a golden glow around their head and shoulders, concern, relief, and happiness sparking in clear blue eyes, and a gentle smile set on their face, I knew for certain now I was not in danger.

Immediately I felt a rush of gratitude and thanked God that he was alright, always fearing for the worst. A comfort settled over me, easing the unsettling feeling of being in the unknown, because now I had him. Finding my voice, I breathed out, "Legolas…"but before I could continue, he shook his head to quiet me. Slowly and gently he helped to ease me into a sitting position with one arm, my head throbbed and my world pitched, but we managed it somehow. He spoke now before I could, at the same time handing me a….water skin?

"It was only a matter of time before you were ready to let yourself wake. Please, Juliana, drink. We have much to discuss."

I took a careful and slow sip of water, well aware from experience what would happen if I guzzled it like my body wanted me too. Legolas watched my carefully, and after I took a few more sips while scanning my eyes around the area. I had never seen any place like this before. The ceiling was open, letting nature consume the aura of the room, while the walls were seemingly carved and beautifully crafted, yet flowed delicately into the surroundings. Part of mind offered an explanation to the surroundings, but turned that away, preferring to hear what Legolas had to say rather than make my own assumptions.

He sat next to me on the bed, watching my face, calculating something. I could almost hear his mind working and knowing he would spend far too long waiting to collect his thoughts (mostly because that is what I would do), I tenderly shifted my arm and hand until I felt my fingertips brush against his where they lay on his leg. Gingerly I curled my fingers onto his, and he then relaxed, allowing my hand to be the reassurance he needed to go on.

"Juliana, I am nearly at a loss of where to start, where to end, and where to put what in the middle. But you are safe, that much I can promise for a time. Maybe…maybe if I knew what you remember last that would give me a place to start."

While his voice was calm, I could tell there was an added element to it that was new to me. Something was not right. Something happened, something he was apprehensive to tell me. The truth would come out all in due time. "There was an explosion, I remember us being knocked down and then everything went black. Then there was singing….a woman singing….then I woke up here. Legolas, please, just tell me what happened. It'll be okay." I squeezed his hand and continued, "I'll be okay."

Taking a deep breath, he began. "Alright, well let's start with the events of the explosion. Juliana, as much as I had wished to assure you that the demon would not leave the forest, I had no way of knowing that for certain. And as it goes, it did leave. It followed us to your school, waiting for us. The explosion was it crashing through the structure. The stone crumbled around us, and you were knocked out at the explosion. I was lucky enough to only take a hit that knocked me down. I did my best to get you to cover before it was upon us, but it was almost too late by then. I went back for my bow and sword, and I had no choice but to engage the beast. I-I did not think either of us would be able to escape this time. I fought back though, fueled by seeing you laying in the rubble, bleeding. I felt the strength of my kind rush like flames through my body."

He clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and stopped for a moment. His hand was tensed around mine now, and I was surprised by how much of a reaction he was having to this. Normally elves, and Legolas in particular, are quite reserved and in control of their emotions. I know everyone had their moments, but it was strange to see Legolas act so…so _human_. I started to gently rub his hand, circling the back with my thumb, trying to ease the stress building in his grip. After a moment, the tension began to recede, and after another breath, he reopened his eyes, and his composure was back.

"So yes, I fought. He kept pushing me back. I was losing ground, and every blow I block would take us two steps closer to where you lay and every blow I dealt only pushed us forward by one. I was beginning to get desperate, when I needed to get clever. It was the first time in my memory I thought I may not make it out of this fight. But the beast made a mistake. It had flung me to the side, and as I recovered, I noticed it was headed towards you with its blade like claws ready to attack. He was distracted, ready to kill. So I struck from behind, driving my sword up and through the base of his neck into his skull. The demon is not dead, it takes much more magic to destroy one of these beasts, but it was destroyed from this corporeal form, for now. It will need time to reform. It exploded into a shade, returning to the shadow. And you were safe, I was safe. It was all supposed to end. Juliana, please, you must understand, it didn't intend for this to happen this way. I hate how selfish I've been in all of this, and I'm so sorry. If I had known-"

I cut him off suddenly, feeling worry bubble up inside me. "Legolas…wait, slow down. What happened? What do mean you didn't want it to happen like this?"

He let go of my hand and stepped away from the bed. He faced away from me, looking out a window in the carved walls I could not see from this angle. Although it probably wasn't in my best interest, I slid my legs off the bed and tried to start walking towards him. He heard my footsteps and turned around quickly, probably to get me to sit back down. (I really should not have been walking.) He covered the large distance between us in one long graceful stride. He opened his mouth to try and speak but I stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Legolas. It's okay. You can tell me."

Closing his eyes again, he placed his hand over mine on his firm chest. He then lifted them both to his face and kissed the palm of my hand. "It's so selfish, that I am glad you are here. When the demon exploded, the gem I had not seen strung around his neck did not. It was the same gem that brought me to your world. As it fell, my momentum brought me through where the beast had been. Instinct drove me to dive for it. So I did. At the same time the building was beginning to crumble even more. I dove to catch both the gem and to protect you. I didn't think…I just acted. I let my emotions get the best of me, but I cannot find myself to regret it. I'm sorry Juliana. I truly am. This is not fair to you."

Starting to get a bit annoyed by his lack of answer and my growing worry, I pulled my hand from his and placed it on his cheek, turning his head to face me again. In his eyes I saw what I could not place before. It was fear. He was afraid of what I would do or say when he told me the truth. I looked in his eyes, as peacefully and comforting as I could, and I said the words I had said before that had seemed to comfort him.

"Legolas. I am with you."

He stared deep into me, through my eyes searching into my soul. He knew I meant every word I had said, as well as saw my growing trepidation. Finally, he said it.

"Juliana, my star, we are in Mirkwood. In my home."

I stood staring at him, knowing in my gut it was true and that my suspicions were correct. That does not stop the emotions that crashed into me then. What was to become of my life? How long would I be here, away from my friends and family, from my world? But among that sudden pang of homelessness, I felt something else. Elation, joy, excitement. My time for adventure was finally here, not in a way I could have ever imagined, but nonetheless, it was now. I was in Middle Earth, in Mirkwood, amongst elves, and magic, and so much more. I knew that I would desire to return home some time, but in that moment, I chose to accept that yes I would return home, but something greater than myself had arranged the events for me to be here. I would not lose sight of home and more importantly, myself, but I would make what I could of my time here.

Legolas took my silence as not a good thing, and went to pull away from me. I stopped him by pulling him closer for a hug. He seemed surprised, and was slow to return the embrace, but when he did, he buried his head in my neck. It seemed I was the one comforting him now, in a strange way.

"You saved my life," I said. "And I can't thank you enough for that. It will all turn out alright. There is a reason I am here. I will return home soon, once we find a way, but until then, I am here, and I am with you."

I was in Middle Earth. I could make this work, I would have to, for both our sakes. We held each other for a few more moments, both accepting the reality we were now in so that we could move forward. When we pulled away, I surprised myself by reaching up and doing the opposite I had done a few days ago. Gently I tucked Legolas' blonde hair behind his ear, lightly tracing its tip as I did so. A chill passed through him then, and when he leaned his head into my hand, letting out a contented sigh, I was struck by how surreal this moment was.

Above streamed soft warm light, imprinted as dancers amongst the shadow of the trees. There was safety here, under a canopy of trees, surrounded on all sides by creation. I could almost hear the earth singing around me in this sudden quiet moment. It was in the whisper of the leaves, the rustle of a river, it was everywhere, in a serenity that could not be matched. Truly in this moment, the music of the universe was being played. Legolas must have noticed a change in my attention, because he became very relaxed, entering the state of awareness I had stumbled upon. When he did, I felt him. His aura, I felt it enter into the music the world was playing in that moment. Just as I felt I could hear the trees and the wind and the river and even the light, I could now here him.

His sounds were conveyed to my memory and senses as colors, as they usually are when I listen to music. A sound becomes associated with a color, and with that color comes an emotion, an aura. Interestingly enough, this was something I often would accidently do, generate colors to associate with people based on the emotions they give off. Legolas sounded and felt to me in this time, not surprisingly, a rich green, fluid and speckled with soft light. The outer edges of the green faded effortlessly into a clear blue. Closer towards the center, as the green became more saturated, richer earthly tones would pulse in and out. This was his essence. This was the truth behind who he really was, raw and uncut.

Snapping out of this state, the colors rushed away from me, although the scene around me persisted. Legolas still stood in front of me, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Juliana, did you just connect into the auras? I thought you might have begun to, but when I did I did not see yours, only my own. What did you see?"

I looked at him curiously, "I only saw one other aura, but I assumed it was yours, green and earthly. There was a song of a tree growing in the forest, consuming the warm rich tones of the earth. I did not see my own aura, I did not know I could."

Now he paused in thought before continuing. "What you described is what I also saw. In this state you can always see or hear your own aura as well as others. I wonder if…. Galadriel may know. Speaking of whom, she was here earlier, before you awoke. I do believe she is wanting to speak with you before her return to Rivendell. Come, you should not be standing yet."

At this he ushered me back to the bed, which I did not protest, as already I was feeling the strain on my body. Settling back onto the bed, berated myself for not asking this sooner.

"Legolas, wait, have you healed well enough? Did you get injured again, your story of the fight did not seem pleasant."

He shook his head and replied, "Nothing that a nights rest did not fix. It was mostly fatigue and bruising. The cut from before is nothing but a slight discoloration now. It is quite difficult to injure an elf substantially without the proper weapons and skill. The demon may have been strong and fast, but so am I. So worry not, I still feel a slight stiffness a few places, but by the end of the day I will be fully recovered. Now, my star, rest. Galadriel will speak with you when you awake again, but you need more time. Tomorrow you will be well enough to leave this care facility, and there is much I wish to show you."

Agreeing, content that he was well and aware I needed my rest still, I slid down lower, settling in to drift away again. "I never thought I would be one for nicknames, but I think "my star" might work, just from you. Go handle what you need to Legolas, I will be alright."

He smiled then and as I drifted off, I heard him say, "My place for now is here, with you." Then I fell back into the world of music and color, nature singing a lullaby as old as creation itself.

Legolas' POV

How lucky was I to have met Juliana on this quest. Yes, I had known a great friend would come out of this endeavor, but I had not imagined it would be like this. There is a true bond between companions in times such as these, and despite her being from another world and another life completely, this bond was stronger than those ever before. Surely she would have been a great addition to the Fellowship, I know already that the hobbits would have deeply appreciated her compassion and quick wit, as would have I. But even now, as she lay in rest on this cot, in my kingdom, my home, I felt her as a part of me. Once I was sure she had drifted away comfortably into sleep, I rose, going to speak with Galadriel who was doubtlessly nearby.

I found her not far from the recovery wing (we did not often have need of medicine and healing, but this recovering area offered a place of rest for those who needed it after conflict), speaking with friends not seen in years. Sensing my approach, she bid them well, and glided over to me.

"You have spoken with her," she stated, more so than asked. "She took the news well, yet something unsure still remains with you. What is it?"

"My lady, she can See. Effortlessly, it seems. The Sight was not something I learned to comfortably immerse myself in for years, and yet she has done it. Not only that, but something seems to be off with it. It was almost like she could not see her own aura, and strange enough, when I reached into it, I could only see my own. My first thought was neither of us could see her aura because she is human, but in that case she shouldn't be able to See at all. Do you know of any other times a human was gifted with the Sight?"

She smiled softly down at me, replying "All beings have the ability to reach into their surroundings and See beyond their corporeal forms. Not all beings, however, are centered enough with themselves and the world to do so. So yes it is possible for a human to possess this ability, as it is for a dwarf, or hobbit, or any other thing, it is just the elves who can do so most notably."

"Yes, but why could either of us only see my aura? Doe she not have one in this world?"

"No, Legolas. You could see her aura. And you could see your own. They are one and the same. Your souls sing for one another, reaching out to the other for completion. When our world was sung into being, there are fragments of the same melody that transcended this world and exist also in her world. The music that created the energy that exists in both of you is the same. You complete each other."

I was silent, shocked and uncertain of what to say next. Was it truly possible to share the same aura? Certainly this would explain much about our fast developing bond. Even now, it has been strengthened, for I had a subconscious awareness of her being near.

"But what does this mean for us? She has to return to her world at some time, and a time will soon come when I cannot leave here for much longer. The time for me to take my place on the throne is fast approaching. Does our future hold no hope? Even now I feel myself returning to my best state, but without her, I fear it will not stay or reach its full capacity. She truly does complete me, and I her. Where do we go from here?"

Stilling my concern with a hand to my shoulder, Galadriel spoke. "That is yet to be seen Legolas, but be calmed, for all will run its course, even if it not an easy one. This is a journey you will take together to find where the end lies. Even I cannot yet see the end, for too much in unknown. But this I do know. You still have much to learn from one another in your time together here. Communicate to each other and listen well, for your souls and minds together is what will get you through this. Now I wish to speak with her….alone. You may sit with her until she awakens again, but when she does, I will take over for a time. Plus there are a few things the Captain of the Guard would like to discuss with you now that you have returned. It has been quite some time, and a few things require your experience and expertise. Tarry not! Go, your presence gives her strength in her healing."

And so I went back to Juliana's room to keep her company as she slept. Before she awoke the first time, she has been asleep for nearly two days, held in slumber by Galadriel to preserve her strength and heal her well. As soon as I had recovered well enough I had positioned myself to rest by her side. Our like energies healing and restoring one another faster than normal, even for an elf.

I had not told her the extent of my injuries. Yes I was healed well and good, but the fight surely had taken its toll on me. Entering her room, seeing her in rest, peaceful, alive, and recovering, was enough to rid me of these thoughts. As she slept, I sat next to her on the bed, sides pressed together, her head against me. I let my vision slip into the world of the Sight to watch what had previously been my own aura, but was not ours combined, swirl and move with a melody that was sung only by our souls together. There was completion, harmony, oneness. There was home. In this moment, I knew the answer to Galadriel's question.

 _Where does your heart lie Legolas?_

The answer was right here with me. My heart lies with her. With Juliana. With my star.

Juliana POV

When I awoke, it was much smooth and less disorienting than the first time. The first thing I realized was my head no longer hurt and second was that I was extremely comfortable. When I opened my eyes, I knew why. I was situated so that back and head were resting on Legolas' chest and while one arm rested on my lap, the other on my free side was covered by his, and our finger were intertwined. I smiled to myself and tilted my head back to look at him. He was not looking at me but was reading a book he had balanced on his one hand. Feeling my move he looked away from it and down to me.

With one hand he closed the book and then smiled. "Good morning. How are you faring?"

Pretending to stretch a stiffness out of my neck I replied, "I feel almost all better, but there is a crick in my neck from being so cramped on this bed."

Not missing my jest or even a beat, he countered, "Yes, I'm having trouble getting comfortable myself, someone is taking up all the space."

"Yeah someone is." At this I heaved my weight on him and effectively sent him tumbling of the bed, albeit ever in his elven grace.

Laughing clear as a bell, he sprung up from the floor and placed the fallen book on a counter. "As it seems you have your wits about you, I would like to leave you in the hands of someone you would be intrigued to meet. I have other affairs to check into, but I will send her your way."

I had shifted to where I was sitting on the bed with my legs crossed, and I nodded to him in understanding. I was about to reply when he stepped forward swiftly and in bending down placed a light but secure kiss on my forehead. Now instead of replying, I simply just smiled again at him, Legolas still standing very close to me.

"I will return as soon as I can, my star."

Before I could ask why he had referred to me as such for the second time now, he had strode from the room in grace. In his leaving, I picked up the book he had been reading, at first not recognizing the words on the cover, for they were in what I assumed to be the elegant curling script of the elves. Just as the letters seemed to start lifting off the page and morphing into a cursive English, someone entered the room, breaking my concentration, and subsequently startling me.

The female elf who entered was obviously Galadriel, for I did not believe that any other elf could give off the same sense of wisdom and love that she did. In general she just seemed to be so full of light, and connected to a world beyond ours. (I now use the term world loosely in light of recent events.) The first thing I notice in a person are their eyes and their energies. He energy was like nothing I had ever been around before, and I knew it wasn't an elf thing, because while Legolas did have a peculiar energy to me, it was not like this, it was not _beyond._

It was the eyes that really threw me for a loop. Now often people describe eyes as being like crystals, simply just meaning they are clear, but now I use it because her eyes were truly like a blue white crystal, clear, piercing, and they seemed to move and reflect in the light, almost as if another light from another dimension was passing through them. Maybe this was where she gained her other sight, the sight beyond.

Not entirely sure what proper etiquette was for meeting someone of her stature, especially because I surely didn't bow to Legolas, I merely smiled and dipped my head to her in recognition before introducing myself.

"I'm sure you already know a great deal about me, but I am Juliana. You must be Galadriel. I've read a lot about you and heard much from Legolas about you. It is an honor to meet you."

She smiled back, in a tender gentleness that seemed to penetrate the soul. "Yes dear one, I am who you say I am. I know much of who you are, but not all, for it seems that you are full of surprises. Come, let us sit and talk. Legolas will return after he has taken care of some matters of state that require his experience. His absence has been more trying than we had predicted."

I took a seat on the bed from where I had stood up and she placed herself on a chair near the bedside. Again I was awed by the elegance and poise she offered to the room, completely shifting the feel from something of an enchanted beauty to a mystic beauty. We sat for a moment in silence, looking at each other. It was not in a threatening way, just more of trying to gauge each other. There was nothing hostile or uncomfortable about it. When the silence was broken, it was not by me.

"Have you heard the myth that all beings are formed from stardust? That each of us when the universe was created retained a spark or essence from the star we were born from?"

I nodded but added into that, "Yes I've heard that before. I'm not sure how much I fully believe. In my faith, our God created us from dust, which some could argue the parallels that are there. I understand you have a different spin on the creation story as well."

"Yes we have an account that some could actually still take to be another way of reading your Christianity. We believe our world was sung into existence by our God. The two accounts between our world are largely compatible, as the one Tolkien found. But I bring up the stardust example as a way to possibly explain what I am about to tell you, although your knowledge of music may very well allow for another explanation."

I wasn't entirely sure where she was going at this point but going along for the ride prompted her to continue. When she did, there were many things answered, but also many questions.  
"So you are saying that the reason I can only see one aura when I'm around Legolas is because we share the same energies? I get the whole, 'we fell from the same star so we are of the same substance' thing, but I never really believed in soulmates. I mean that's basically what this is, isn't it? Why we have such an immediate connection, an ease with each other. It makes sense I guess, it explains a lot honestly, I just have a hard time believing something like is real. I mean, yeah I believe God has a plan for us, I just never really thought to extend that to something like this."

She regarded me with appreciation now. "You are very wise for one so young. You are an adult in your world but merely a child to us. The time of space and creation transcends that of our own constructs of time, so it is possible you two are of the same energies, despite the difference in age. It would also seem to explain why you have always had a heart and mind of someone older. The essence inside of you just had to lay in wait longer to come into being than Legolas' did, but that is of no consequence. So yes, I truly do believe you are 'soul mates' as you put it. But this does not just retain to love and romantic interest, for that all comes with time, and as I know you are both quite patient in those regards. This has to do with finding yourself in each other. This is a type of love and companionship that helps you define who you are by being completed in each other. It is about finding someone to love the light and the dark inside of you, and through that love, gradually bring you freedom from the dark."

With that she rose, gazing down at me still. "I see this has brought some conflict to your mind. Do not fear, my child. Legolas too has conflictions through it all. Communicate these, and from them you will see much into the heart of the other. Rest well the remainder of this day, for soon you may be needed for your skills in more than just academia. The demon will return. When it does, I know it in your nature not to shy away, so it would be in everyone's best interest that you be prepared."

She begun to leave the room, but I stopped her suddenly with a question. "Wait, but I still wonder. How is it that I was able to speak Elvish before? And just earlier the letters on this book began to make sense to me. How is that possible?"

Smiling deeply from within her eyes, Galadriel answered, or rather questioned back, "What is it that leads a bird to sing, or a fish to swim? Is it not their nature to do that which is in the capacities of their soul? Think not on it more than it is worth, for to question the function of ones soul to is question the Creator Himself."

And with that, she was gone, taking with her the mysticism of the room, returning to it the raw essence of nature. Deciding not to question, but rather to investigate, I picked up again the book, and after some time the words on the front shifted to my understanding. I was struck speechless at the title. Beyond all faculty my mind could process there could be no way that this was the book. The content in itself was not significant at the moment, but the mere existence of it in this world was. It was my favorite book. _The Giver_ was staring back at me. Quickly I flipped through the pages, confirming that this was one and the same. This book was one I have read every year since fifth grade, one that I was in the process of memorizing. It was extremely dear to my heart for the hope and journey it takes you through. In that moment I took Galadriel's advice and stopped questioning. Turning back to the first page, I began to read.

Legolas found me in this very room several hours later, still deep into the book, although now I was perched in one of the trees cascading upward from the room surroundings. How seamlessly architecture turns to nature here. I was nearly done with the book by this time, for it is not especially long, and even though I noticed when Legolas had entered, I did not stop reading. I was surprised however that Legolas did not try to interrupt me at all. He simply lifted himself up into the tree as well and made himself comfortable as I continued to read, finishing the last chapter, hanging on the last words as they still resonated in my mind, no less emotional than the first time I chanced upon the book. When I closed the cover, I looked at Legolas, aware now he had been watching me the entire time.

"How did you know?" I asked quietly.

He looked at me questioningly. "Know what?"

I handed him the book and explained, "This book…it's my favorite. I've read it countless times. How is it here? Did you know it was my favorite?"

Now he looked slightly taken aback. "No I did not know, though I am surely not surprised. Funny though, how these things go, for it too is my favorite book. When I have a desire to read but not a premonition as to what, it is my safety net. How it is that even books seem to transcend the realms?"

"Speaking of which, I assume you also spoke to Galadriel before she came to me. You, sir Legolas are a complete dork. 'My star'? I've never been one for pet names, but I think given the circumstances of our relationship I might have to let that one slide."

Looking up to the sky, he let out a laugh and then shifted so he could face me fully from our branches. "Well yes, because for all purposes and circumstances known, you have been and will continue to be my star, the light in my night, the burning behind my heart, and the spark within my soul. I trust Galadriel has told you of what we suspect and know?"

Smiling stupidly at his ridiculous phrases, I simply nodded my head rather than spoke, fearing if I opened my mouth I would laugh myself right out of this tree. I am not a girl for constant mushy declarations, but Legolas seemed to have no trouble at all being obscenely cheesy.

Noticing my comical grin, Legolas understood my amusement directed at him, and subsequently decided that I should be taught a lesson in "laughing at the king". Down from the tree we both slid, laughing and trying to wrangle the other in an affectionate bout. We landed on the ground, uncensored laughter bursting from us both. We lay side by side, mesmerized by the setting sun in all of its glory that was above us through the trees. A stray leaf fell, landing in Legolas' shining hair. Reaching over, I brushed it out, but continued to lightly run my fingers through his soft hair, twisting it around and through my fingers. A chill passed through him as I accidently skimmed his ear. To this he reached to his head and found my hand, gently pulling it lower and intertwining our fingers.

It was like this that we lay for quite some time, basking in the beauty of the sky and trees, sides together, hand joined, hearts beating as the same. Just as the first stars began to peak through the canopy above, I felt myself drift peacefully back into sleep, taking my last needed rest from injury. Legolas brushed his thumb over the back of my hand, drawing little patterns, as he then began to softly hum a melody my ears had never heard before. My heart however, had.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all so much for the continued support in this! It is greatly appreciated in my drive and motivation. This chapter may be a bit out there just because half was written right after a hell of a finals week (who needs sleep? not engineers apparently), and half after I got my wisdom teeth out and was recovering. So who knows, but I'm going with it. Keep the reviews and follows and favorites coming. You guys are amazing.**

CH 5

My pulse pounded in my ears, but in that moment I used the steady rhythm to give me clarity in my thoughts. It became a war drum. I blinked rapidly, trying to alleviate the stinging sweat in my eyes, but not daring to put my guard down for a single second to whip them. A second was all he needed to get behind my defenses and render me immobile. Growing up, my older brother and I used to wrestle and grapple with each other, Ford having several years of karate on his side and I having my stubbornness and instinct, as well as what my dad had taught me in self-defense. Those bouts were good for practice, but neither of really had a good idea of what we were doing. Now, however, I had a better idea of what I was doing, trusting my instincts more than ever. The only down side was my opponent was not my nerdy mostly fit brother. This was someone who was trained to kill and to hunt under the worst of circumstances, hardened by battle, full of experience, and in inhuman condition.

I continued to circle counterclockwise, watching and waiting, trying to see if he was favoring a certain side from where any of my few blows had landed. As a soccer player, my kicks are much more effective in harming my opponent than punches, but they also left me much more exposed. My strength was no match for his, nor was my speed, but the one thing I did have in my favor was my mind. I had noticed a sunny spot to my left, so as I circled right, the one opposite of me moved towards that spot to keep our standoff balanced. The instant he stepped into the sun beam, his eyes squinted just enough to give me an opening. I launched forward, diving for his legs, gaining just enough of a head start that I was able to knock off his balance and send us tumbling to the ground.

We became a tangled mass of limbs swinging about, trying to gain a hold of the other to force a submission. By my own fault I ended up on my hands and knees, with the other pressing down on my back, arms around my shoulders and front of my chest in a locked grip. Tensing and flexing as much as I could to loosen his hold, I dug down into the recesses of my memory, searching for the move my dad had forced me to learn for situations similar to this one. The form snapped back to me, and though I was extremely hard pressed, the weight on my back and the strain of exhaustion long taking its toll, I grunted drawing into myself for strength. With a shout I dropped my hands so I was braced on my forearms and at the same time kicked my legs, digging into the solidity of my quads. Tucking my head and forcing all my weight forward behind the thrust of my legs, I felt relief as momentum played it role, sending me flipping over onto my back, or rather, onto the stomach of my assailant. A 'whoosh' oh air escaped his mouth then, stunning him for a moment long enough for me to tear from his grasp, and return by twisting and dropping my shoulder onto his chest, slamming my forearm onto his throat.

Gasping for breath, I somehow managed to rasp out, "Do you yield?" His answer was obvious when the shock left his eyes and was replaced by another fire of fight. Knowing that I could not last much longer before my mistakes could not be recovered from, I took the cheap way out of continuing the brawl. I don't know what came over me. It must have been from the instinct I was tapped into, separating me from my more rational and reserved thought. The instant I acted, my mind screamed at me to stop. But then, my mind stopped.

So I kissed him. It was quick, no more than a swift, yet firm pressing of my lips to his, but it nonetheless was a kiss. As quickly as I had swooped down, I pulled back, now seeing the fire of fight completely gone from Legolas' cool blue eyes. They were still burning, however, and sufficiently shocked. Neither of us moved for a moment, and the only sound was our breathing, both still trying to recover from the intensive spar. I then realized his breathing would be made much easier if I was not pressed onto his lungs and still assaulting his wind pipe. I released the pressure and shifted the majority of my weight off him.

Opening my mouth to attempt an apology, suddenly feeling very brash and embarrassed, I was caught completely off guard as Legolas heaved upward, twisting and pinning me down. Now looking down at me, he brought his face very close to mine and just when I thought he was about to return my kiss, he instead whispered, serious and very deadly, "I win."

There was again this look in his eyes that I had never seen there before. His eyes seemed to dig into my soul, and I immediately felt my soreness and exhaustion fade away, as we continued in silence, staring at each other like complete idiots. Is this what I've been diminished to? A gaping fangirl who can't even form a complete sentence now? No, you just sparred with an elf, and for the most part held your own, I told myself. You are not going to be a helpless fangirl, that's why you asked Legolas to help train you more. Knowing you could spend much longer right where you were, but also knowing there were other things you were planning on practicing, you needed to end this moment. You hated to do it, and part of your mind told you not to, but you needed to.

I let the laugh bubbling inside me escape, and at my smile, he too began to laugh, rolling off to the side. I reached over and smacked the side of his head, saying "You cheat, I had you."

Suddenly, Legolas sprung up like one of those freaking kung fu fighters, and turned to help me stand. Grasping my hands, he hauled me up to stand and facing each other he smiled again.

"Yes you did have me, and now, I have you. But I must admit Juliana, I'm impressed. You fought well, you are light on your feet, clever, and trust yourself. All traits for a good warrior. You make mistakes, which is dangerous because your quick thinking may not always be enough to get out of them, but it's a fantastic place to start."

Still too sweaty and tired to be that close to any one, I stepped away grinning on the inside at how cheesy he was being. On the outside, however, I continued to be neutrally determined. "You're obviously much more of a challenge than my brother," I said while moving to pick up the water skin we had brought out. Taking a generous gulp, I tossed it to Legolas and continued to move towards the other items we had brought out with us.

"Do we have time still for a bit of weapons training or are you all tired out?" I joked, bending down to grab one of the long thin elven blades.

Scoffing a bit in mock hurt, Legolas replied "Me tired? Hardly. I'm quite alive right now actually. It's you should be tired, just a week ago you were unconscious in bed, and since then every day you've dragged me out to train. Why is that? If you fear I would be too busy with my other duties to visit with you, you need not to. You won't be alone here, there are many still who wish to meet you."

The smile had slipped from my face, and Legolas knew he had said something that didn't sit right with me. "Legolas, it isn't that. I know I'm not alone, but that still doesn't equate with not being lonely. I can be surrounded with people, but I am still lonely here, that feeling goes away when I'm with you, but even then, I'm beginning to wonder how long it will take for me to return. My world's time did not stop, every day I spend here is another my family and friends spend not knowing what happened to me. It's another day I'm being pulled away from my end goal at college. That's why I've asked you to train me, so I can help. When that demon shows back up, I'm fighting with you. I've never been one to sit and watch my life be lived around me, I'm always right in the brunt of it. Legolas….I don't want to leave you, please don't take that as my meaning, but I do need to get home. In the mean time I have to _do_ something, hence the training, do you see where I'm coming from?"

He had been listening intently, digesting my words and beginning to form his own. Coming towards me, he slid his hand up the flat of the blade I held until his hand reached mine. He gently pulled the hilt from my hand and turned the sword as to sheath it on his back where it had originally been held.

"Juliana, you will return home as soon as we have a way. Those well versed in magic are trying to work with the gem, but we cannot activate it still. I do not wish you to leave but I know you cannot stay here. It tears at my heart as much as it does yours, oh what a cruel fate to hold one so dear from so far away. None are so far as to where we must be."

Not caring now that we were both sweaty in covered in the forest, I leaned forward to rest my head again his chest, both our arms wrapping around the other. He continued.

"I fear for your safety should we encounter the beast again, not because of any inability of your, but because I could not bear to watch you slain as my men were. That alone would be enough to kill me as well. I don't expect you to sit out, by any means, so I will of course continue to train you as we wait, and I promise every moment I have that is not already belonging to my responsibilities belongs to you. A week is but a blink for me, but to you is it more significant. Your loss of time is greater than mine, I understand. My star, I am with you, and we will prevail in these things. Together."

Nodding into him, I stuffed down the prickling behind my eyes, conserving my emotions for when they would be needed in a more significant way. I pulled back again and looked to how the shadows fell on the ground. It was almost time for Legolas to return to the inner parts of the city to continue with his duties. He saw where my gaze had fallen and understood as well as I the time behind the shadows.

"Come, I will escort you back. Perhaps today you would like to explore the upper gardens or libraries until dinner?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "Actually I was going to stay out here and practice shooting more. I'm still getting used to this different type of bow, and I'm really close to getting a great consistency. If you want to come get me from here after you finish up things that would be good. If I finish practicing I will just explore this part of the forest a bit more."

Seeing his concerned expression, I continued, "Hey, I'll be fine. I've got a good sense of direction. Plus if I get lost, I can just find and follow the river. There are enough of your kin out and about on a beautiful day like this for me to be safe." Teasing him a bit now, I finished with, "Plus if something does attack me, it'll be a good chance to get some real practice in."

He didn't like that part so much, but agreed to let me stay out in the woods to practice with the bow he had picked out for me. "I will return before the sun sets. Be safe, I know you will, I just have to say it." Reaching forward, he moved to plant a kiss on my forehead like he often did before departing from me. I closed my eyes when his gentle lips touched my forehead, but opened them in surprise when after leaving my head returned again against my own lips. It was again quick, but in that it was ever so gentle, and comforting.

Feeling the sudden loss when he pulled away, I looked up at him almost questioning. Today was the first time we had ever shared an actual kiss, and it had been twice, short yes, but nonetheless, it was a new development.

Smirking lightly, although the mischief was gone from his eyes, replaced by a special tenderness, he decided to get the last word, as if the kiss wasn't enough. "I figured I should return the favor." And with that he was gone, sprinting through the trees, back towards the center of the city. I tried to think of something clever to shout after him, but my mind was shot from both a trying spar and a re-sparked swirl of emotions.

Planning on getting rid of all my emotion on any spectrum, I shouldered the dark red wood bow and corresponding quiver. I started a few paces from the tree I was planning to use as my target, and set to work, firing arrows and retrieving them, focusing on the tension in the bow, the tension in my arm, and the arc of the shot, using my knowledge of physics and forces to figure out the perfect angle and force to use to both optimize my distance and accuracy.

After a few hours, my arms and back were aching, so I decided to explore the beautiful landscape. As I walked, I began to hum a tune I hadn't remembered learning. It was the same one Legolas had hummed as I fell asleep by his side about a week ago. At that, I smiled softly to myself, amused by the course my life had taken. Of course, before all of this I had imagined a life like those in the books I had read, but still to be here, in the forests of Middle Earth, in a….something….with Legolas. Still, there was something nagging at me.

I am not the girl to put my life on hold for anybody. Yes I will help, because I love to serve others, which is why I am studying to be a missionary engineer, but I am not going to give up my dreams and my calling even for a life here with Legolas. I don't think I could ever truly be happy with that. I would be lost in the mind set of my life could have always been more. That might sound a bit selfish, or spoiled, feeling like I wouldn't be satisfied here, but I don't believe I could, not if I didn't somehow find a way to combine my two worlds. Now that really is asking too much.

Suddenly I heard a large crack and a bark. They were followed quickly by a resounding thud, like a body hitting the ground. I froze. Holding very still, I scanned the area, listening for any more sounds of movement. When nothing else happened and the forest seemed to lose its tension, I began to move very slowly and carefully in the direction of the sounds. As I crept forward, I pulled an arrow from my back and notched it, glad I had the sense to bring these things with me. When I came to what had made the sound, I was in awe.

I had come to the edge of a steep ravine that fell several feet below. On one side, where the land had sloped back up there stood a huge mahogany brown wolf. It was pacing back and forth along the ravine, whining quietly. When it caught the scent of me it started to growl at my bow, but then seemed to stop in recognition. At first I thought this was curious, but upon reflection, it really wasn't that odd. This wolf was in the territory close to the elves, of course it would trust someone dressed and equipped like me.

The wolf stared pawing at the edge of the ravine, looking down it, as if trying to convey some importance down there. Inching closer to the edge, I looked down and understood why. Laying on the ground below was what appeared to be the wolf's pup. It was a smaller reddish brown wolf, laid out on its side, alive, but not moving. I guessed what had happened, the two of them running through the woods and the younger one missed the jump across the ravine.

Not entirely sure what to do, but not about to leave the creatures to figure it out themselves, I put the bow and quiver down out of the way and began to piece together a plan. Looking around, as well as down where the wolf lay, I figured out what I could do. The entire time I prepared, the wolf, presumably the mother, continued to pace, watching me.

Using the vines and long pliable branches from nearby, I rigged something like an Atwood's Machine (type of simple pulley system) and lowered the longer end down into the ravine. On this end there was a plank from the stripped bark supported by the makeshift rope. After lowering it down to the bottom of the ravine, I myself began to climb down the ravine using the roots and rocks imbedded in the side to scale my way down. Apparently my rock climbing and rope certification from summer camp would come in handy. The young wolf was probably close to adolescent age, having begun to grow in size but still retaining a softer and young disposition. Although young, the wolf probably was about the size of a large corgi, somewhere between 8 and 10 months old.

Crouching down once I reached the bottom, I could hear the wolf's labored breathing. Considering how it did not try and get away from me and remained completely still, it was safe to assume this animal was in a lot of pain. Scooting the pallet towards the wolf, I first placed my hand in front of the animals nose so it could get my scent and determine if it was going to trust me or not. Apparently satisfied by my hand, it did not try to intimidate or scare me away as I placed my hands on its fur, trying to be cautious and slow. Not sure where or how badly the creature was injured, I moved by hands firmly along its side, hoping it would let me know in some way when I reached an injury. About halfway down its side, it yelped when I pressed a tad too hard on one of its ribs. I heard a snarl from above as the mother watched carefully.

Now knowing what to avoid, I pulled the pallet right next to the wolf and slowly began to shift the animal onto it. In each corner there were ties that reached up and tied onto a thicker rope that was attacked to the makeshift pulley above, woven around some trees and rotatable branches. Checking that everything was secure, I clambered my way back up the ravine to where I had tied off the other ropes end. Tugging that loose, I slowly began to pull, feeling a slight amount of pride at the fact my ease of pulling was enough to raise the pallet thanks to the mechanical advantage the pulley provided. When the pallet reached the top of the ravine, I tied off again the rope and slowly began to move the pallet to the ground away from the edge. The wolf was breathing harder now, possibly in pain and possibly in fear. The mother was frantically trying to find a way back over to come see her pup.

A clear howl cut through the air. It was deeper and more authoritative than what this she-wolf could probably induce. The alpha. The mother turned her head towards the howl and gave a sorrowful call back, the pup's ears twitching at the sound. The mother continued to pace frantically now, whimpering and letting out half howls. She was trying to decide something. Another strong howl sounded again, more demanding and harsh. The mother wolf turned and faced the direction of the howl and let out a mournful and gut wrenching call. Looking over her shoulder at us across the gap she let out another pitiful whimper. The wolf pup tried to whine back but struggled in its pain. Then in a snap decision, the mother wolf broke off and began to sprint towards the sound, leaving me and the other wolf alone.

As the mother wolf became smaller in the forest, the wolf laying by me began to whine and whimper again, for the first time trying to move, but failing. With one last sorrowful cry, the mother wolf disappeared into the forest. This lone wolf had just become an orphan and an omega. Looking between where the mother disappeared and the wolf at my feet, I tried to decide what to do. Luckily, it was at this time that I heard my name being called. Turning, I saw a familiar stream of blonde hair trailing towards me.

As Legolas drew closer, I noticed he had his two long daggers in hand. Ah, he must have heard the wolf howls as he started looking for me. When he saw I was in no immediate danger and had my own weapons placed nearby, he slowed his pace to a light trot until he reached me. Seeing the wolf on a make shift pallet and my strange contraption, he muttered something in Elvish when he came to a stop that I did not hear.

"Juliana, what has happened here? I heard the cry of a mourning wolf and feared the worst."

Standing to face him, I assured him. "I'm completely fine. But I think this little guy just became an orphan. His mother was forced to leave with the rest of the pack I think. He fell into the ravine and is too injured to go with them. I got him out…but there isn't anything we can do to get him back to them is there?"

Legolas shook his head and put a hand on my shoulder in comfort. "No, I don't think we can in that venture. But we can take him back with us and ensure he heals properly. If he wishes, he may choose to stay among us, especially with you, seeing as he is already accepted you in trust. Most wolves do not trust strangers as quickly and easily, especially when injured and weak. Take that to heart in the least. If he does not wish to stay, then perhaps he will return on his own to the pack, or remain an omega in the wild. But until then, let us give him his best chance to recover. Come, it grows late in the day, and I have news that you might find great joy in."

Legolas had put his own weapons away, and now crouched down to the wolf and placed a hand on its head. They shared a look for a long while until the wolf moved its head in almost a nod. Legolas nodded back and said to me, "He will allow us to take him to the city, I will carry him." Reminded now of Legolas' deep connection to nature, deeper than most any other elf if I recall, I gathered my things as Legolas gently and slowly eased the wolf into his arms.

As we walked, I described to Legolas how I managed to rescue the wolf. He seemed to be rather impressed by my ability to create what I did on the fly, remarking that the builders here may have a thing or two to learn from me. When we reached the city again, I asked Legolas what his news for me was, as well as how the activities had gone for him the rest of the day.

"Things with the council and elders went well enough, mostly business matters that come from ruling and from being absent in my rule for so long. They want to hold the official coronation in a weeks time so the other kingdoms will stop spreading rumors that I am dead." At this he let out a laugh, which caused the animal in his arms to twitch his ears at the sound. We were headed towards a familiar part of the city, near where I had done my own recovering. We left the wolf with an available healer, one who had taken part in my care, and was as I later found out the third voice in my room the day I had woken up. We continued to walk back towards the center of the city where the trees grew older and the air grew wiser. After some time we stopped in the open court yard area near where Legolas and the other important elves had their official chambers. Legolas did not care much for such pomp, and never spent much time in his own rooms, aside from work or when he needed to retrieve something from them. I especially enjoyed the books in his rooms, but like Legolas, I preferred to spend my time outside the denser parts of the city. On the outer part of the city, where not many people neared, Legolas had his own somewhat secret living quarters, ones he had apparently built himself, up in a large sturdy tree. This was where spent most of our time.

"Apparently Aragorn showed up here at some time during my quest, demanding to know how I had died, and who was responsible. It took quite a while to convince him I was alive, as far as any of them knew, and that I was on a quest of undetermined length. No doubt there are others around who also have heard I was dead or missing or some variation of these things. They need to know I am very much alive and I am back in Mirkwood. It is dangerous for any possible enemies to think the elves weak, especially now when peace is just beginning to settle on the lands."

Passing through the busying center of the city as the evening watches made their way to their posts and the others roamed freely in the light evening air, Legolas and I kept a friendly distance between each other. As far as any others knew, I was an injured and recovered companion of Legolas' that he had picked up on his quest. We were the only survivors of the last battle with the demon, and were resting and searching for our next move. This was all in a way true, but still, elves are not ones for rash decisions, and there is nothing more rash than the soon to be king bring home a human girl he met in another world.

As soon as we passed through the epicenter of the ancient forest city, where the elves thinned in number considerably, Legolas continued in his stories from the meeting today, mostly going on and on about the changes in the land and how relations with the dwarves was being mended thanks to the understanding and cooperation of Gimli as an ambassador. Once we were out of the occupied parts of the city altogether, Legolas relaxed his air of professionalism significantly, surprising me by taking my hand in his as we continued to walk to the outer edges, closer to where his literal tree house was. My attention had drifted off as I looked around me, again struck by how unimaginable my current circumstance were, my mind trying to grasp how any of this was actually possible.

When he noticed I had stopped listening, instead of breaking my silence, Legolas instead joined me in it, as he well knew I would prefer. I began to feel bad for tuning him out and was about to insist he continue, but a reassuring squeeze of the hand informed me he understood, as he always does, exactly what I was thinking and needed. I looked over to him to see his piercing eyes trained on my face, studying my emotions and thoughts by every line and look on my face. He truly was a match for my soul, reading all that I am in all that I do. In his eyes I saw so much compassion and understanding that it made me feel again that same draw to him I've had since the very beginning. Halting our walk, I turned to face him, even though we were not far from our destination.

"Legolas, about earlier today, I feel the need to both thank and apologize to you. You've done so much for me, and even if you say different I feel I have not done enough to convey my gratitude. Outside of what we mean to each other, you need to know that you are a good person, and are going to make a fantastic king. I do love your company, you know this, but I also know you can't spend all your time babysitting me. I've pulled you away too much as it is in this one week, and you were gone for over two years before that. You've said it yourself, there are things you need to take care of."

He looked at me like he did earlier today when we had a similar conversation. "What are you suggesting Juliana? I see and know you still yearn for your home, but-"

Cutting him off, as I too often did, I explained. "But, I realized today I don't want to be the young wolf. He got split from his pack. I don't want that to be us, torn apart before we are ready. Legolas, what I mean to say is that I don't want you to put this whole gem thing on hold, but I also don't need it to be on the forefront of your mind. It's okay to put your quest on hold so you can take care of your kingdom and your people. I can use my time to work on it as well, maybe I'll be able to help out some. I can research and study into it, that's right up my alley. As long as I'm busy and doing _something_ towards solving the problem I'll be okay. I just don't want us to miss out on our time together while we still have it."

Sighing, Legolas moved closer and rested his forehead down against mine. "I understand what you are saying. You're right. But, I don't think I can put this quest on hold."

I started to protest but my words were stolen from me by his lips on mine. This kiss was much different than the two playful ones exchanged earlier. After a moment, he pulled away and while I stood silent and stunned, he continued.

"I can't stop this quest, silly woman, because if you recall, the gem or the demon was not my quest. My quest is, and will continue to be for what I hope is a very long time, you."

He paused, and as I was still silent, mind completely scrambled, he went on to say, "And because it is what is needed and what you agree with, I will do as you ask. So long as you promise to still train with me in the mornings, it could end up doing us both some good."

Smiling, I pulled him close for a hug, which he warmly returned. "I promise," came my muffled reply into his chest.

"Alright, now that that is settled, how about some dinner and then some rest for you? You should be fairly tired after today's activities."

A little while later found us in the routine we had built after a week of staying together in his modest tree home. We were cleaning up the remains of dinner, humming and singing whatever melody or harmony came to mind. Occasionally I let my vision and mind slip into what Legolas had described to me as the Sight, where I entered a world of colors and auras. I loved watching how the colors swirled around like visible music drifting in the wind. The colors would change based on what we would sing and hum, and tonight was full of dark rich colors, the kind you would find during the last moments of a sunset off on the horizon.

After we finished cleaning, it was due time for me to go to sleep. Almost every night I would sleep and Legolas would remain by my side, sometimes holding a hand, or playing with a strand of hair. Legolas did not sleep, only rest, reading, or doing studying of some kind until I woke with the morning sun.

Tonight he pulled a large book off his shelf of favorites and sat on the comfortable cot I had been using this past week here. He settled in with his back against the wall, off to the side, gesturing for me to join him. I climbed in, laying to my back and head rest again him, and one of his arms could wrap around me. This was how we had been my last night in the recovery room nearly a week ago.

During all this time there was never a lapsed moment of uncomfortable silence. It was all filled with either our conversation, our laugher, or our comfortable silence. I loved these nights, and I wish there were words for how they made me fall for Legolas even more in these moments, but if there are, I cannot find them.

So it was like this we spent the beginning of our night. It seemed perfect, like something I could fully settle into. That was until my peaceful and comforting dreams erupted into flames.

 **With love. Review :)**


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Wow guys. I am both flattered by the response the story gets, as well as sorry its been so long. My best excuse is school and working at a summer camp where I had no internet all summer. I had been working on this for awhile, so it may seem a bit choppy. I am about to start the next chapter, slowly, since i fractured my hand playing ultimate frisbee. Reviews appreciated!

I was in a forest on fire. I became vaguely aware in the dream that this was meant to be somewhere in Dawson Park, back in my world. Trees seemed to cackle at me as the flames ate at their bark. I started to run, but like most dreams my running was sluggish, as if I was fighting gravity and my own will to keep moving forward. Fighting to get away from the explosions of red and orange that thrashed around me, I saw a wisp of movement through the smoke. It was a blur of moving browns, with blonde trailing after it. Legolas. I opened my mouth to yell to him, my body having refused to continue to move at all now. As I pulled in air to shout, I broke into a coughing fit, sucking in more and more of the suffocating smoke. My coughs turned to gasps, and I tried even harder to yell for Legolas who was getting farther and farther from me. The flames roared in my ears and as my vision stated to fade, no oxygen getting to my lungs, I began to feel the burning.

Who knows how much time passed in real time or dream time before I opened my eyes, still asleep, entering another, or a continued dream. Now the once forest was nothing but a blackened charred wasteland. Trails of smoke seemed to ooze from the piles of ash and still flickering debris. I was standing, looking off in the distance, trying to make sense of the scene around me. Ash almost seemed to fall from the sky in a snow that brought nothing but pain and anguish. Looking up, I saw the sky was boiling with black clouds, which in themselves seemed to be on fire still. The land fell into shadow, a sickening red light on the horizon turned this once beautiful forest into a death scene. Looking directly at my feet, I saw the pinnacle of my dream. It was an image that was almost literally burned into my memory.

Laying on the charred and gray ground was Legolas, on his side, face away from me. His once heroic and noble tunic was being speckled by the falling ash. Bits of his once blonde hair were beginning to smoke as the heat in the ground burned the strands. The side of his face allowed me to see one elegantly curves ear and the beginning slope of his cheek bone and cheek. His fair skin was dirtied with soot and ash and what seemed to be minor burns. Even in the dream the terror griped me tightly, compressing my chest and bringing a roaring to my ears. He was not moving. Crouching down and rolling him over onto his back, I saw not my fair faced elf, but instead the face of a horror movie creature. Half his face was cringed in agony, dirty but otherwise fairly unharmed. The side farthest from me was a black and red charred monstrosity. His features were barely conserved and this half of his mouth was turned up in a natural grimace, his lip seeming to be pulled back from being burned away. He lay there unresponsive as I could not force myself to move, speak or do anything. Just as the shadow from above reached us, his eyes shot open wide, completely vacant. The eye on the undisturbed side was its normal piercing blue, but the one of the severely burned side was like a literal burning coal. He opened his mouth and though it did not form the words, the voice I heard definitely came from him.

This voice was layered with several overtones and undertones, giving it an unearthly tone, deep and demonic. "I see your heart Juliana, and it is mine."

My heart skipped a beat and I felt the apparent reality around me grow distant and begin to spin and contort in a sickening way. I tried to keep telling myself it wasn't real, that this wasn't Legolas speaking, it was the demon, but my heart was crushed things changed suddenly.

The disfigured face of Legolas shifted into its own control, no longer seeming to be possessed by something. The blue once vacant eye locked onto my face hovering above him. Half his mouth tried to lift up into a smile as my gaze, and as I started to reach my hand down to brush his good cheek, his expression snapped into one of horror. His hand shot up and stopped mine before it could reach his face.

Whispering intently and with a painful conviction, he spoke, this time actually forming the words himself and by seeming his own will.

"No…please no. Oh curse the gods no! My star, Juliana, you cannot be here any longer. The darkness…it draws nearer. It brings nothing but fire and death. Even now I feel it creeping back into my heart. Do not save me, I am too far gone into its grasp. Free yourself from this grasp."

His whisper had begun to grow and now he was well past normal conversation volume. He paused for a moment and the comprehension in his eyes seemed to be fluctuating in and out, as if he was raging some inner battle. I felt a pain behind my eyes, as pressure and tears began to build. I felt one escape my eye and I cursed the soothing coolness of it trailing down my cheek. When it fell from my face, landing on Legolas', the water sizzled on the still burning skin.

The sting seemed to snap him back to his own control and now he continued, more urgent than ever. "Juliana, GO! Return! Leave me. Do not hold on! Let me go!"

I shook my head fervently, uttering no as I fought his hold to try and touch him, to reassure him I would not leave him. But he drowned me out, frantically speaking.

"GO! Don't come back! Don't hold onto me! Don't! Come back…hold on…Juliana…hold on and come back to me…."

His words had changed, just as the world around me had. Things had faded black and against my best efforts I could not hold onto Legolas as the world disappeared. It was all I could do to find a voice to yell, "NO! No stop! Legolas don't leave me! Please!"

Just as quickly as my world had started changing, it stopped. I opened my eyes, feeling arms around me. They were holding me tight, secured around my waist and chest. There was a head next to my ear whispering desperately, "Come back to me Juliana. It was only a dream, I've got you…" I stopped struggling, unaware I had been. When he felt I had stopped resisting, the grip on me weakened a bit. I knew instantly it was Legolas who was holding me, recognizing his grip as well as the comfort his presence gave me. As I became aware of what was around me, I realized we were on the cool ground, my body sprawled out as if in a struggle, Legolas behind me supporting my weight and bracing my back against his chest. There was a faint stream of light entering the room, a pre-dawn glow.

It was in that new days glow that I let myself do something I often avoid, to the detriment of my own emotional health. I cried. It was not a violent chaotic cry, it was a healing cry. It was the kind that was allowing me to acknowledge my own pains and fears, my insecurities, my joys, my hopes. The dream had opened up the stream of emotions and now they flowed. There was not a specific reason or meaning to my tears, other than renewal and balancing my emotions. I am not afraid to admit that one of my biggest faults is putting up a strong front to others so much to the extent that it begins to leave lasting damages to my emotional and spiritual balance. That is why this moment of tears was significant in the stages of the relationship between myself and Legolas. Allowing myself to cry in front of someone means I trust them to safeguard my very heart. I have allowed them to see into my heart and unblocked that part of me. In this moment I took down my walls and gave Legolas a key to the gate.

The real emotion that drove these tears was fear. I now saw how much I truly feared losing Legolas as well as how much I feared the demon that would be the cause of me losing him. The image of him lying in death, possessed by the demon, wretched my heart down to its very core. The image of his disfigured face sent another chill through me as I lay on the ground, clinging to Legolas' arms wrapped around my front as he pressed his face into the back of my hair humming and murmuring words of comfort and peace in his native tongue. The most important thing to me of this moment was his understanding that I did not need him to try and fix me or my fears. I simply needed him to be there with me and sit out the wave of emotion. He knew already that when I gained control of myself again that I would tell him what I needed to in my own time. He respected that boundary.

A little while later once the tears has stopped and my cheeks had begun to dry, I released the tension in my arms from where they gripped onto Legolas. At this Legolas slowly loosened his grasp as well, not fully letting go. I turned myself around still in his arms and looked into his face. In his eyes shone nothing but pure love and compassion. I could see how much my pain was hurting him, and in that moment, simply seeing in his eyes a continued love-not pity- already lessened the ache in my heart. Still he respected my boundaries, continuing to hold me lightly, waiting for me to make the first move.

There is this thing about empathy, a type of companionship. The willingness to step down with someone into their dark place and dig into yourself for those emotions that the other person is experiencing in such a way that allows for connection and understanding. It acknowledges the pain and doesn't try to fix it. Instead, empathy is stepping down into the hole with someone and saying, "I know you are hurting, and that's okay. I'm here with you, and we will get through this, together." There lies the difference between empathy and sympathy. Sympathy is looking down into the hole and saying, "Oh yeah, that looks pretty bad. Sorry."

And truly I believe Legolas knew this difference. He fed me support in his hold and in his eyes, not out of pity or sympathy, but in love and empathy, pulling himself into my fear, telling me I was not alone. The sun began to creep through the open windows in the tree home, and the shadows receded from us as the light edged closer, pulling us into its warm embrace. There was a beautiful glow on Legolas' fair face, and in the light I saw a slight glare in his eyes from pooling tears. One slipped from his eye and I raised my hand to wipe it. He caught my hand and held it against his face, taking my other hand and pulling it to hold against his heart. It beat steady and strong, reassuring me.

I now spoke for the first time since waking. My voice was quiet and slightly timid.

"Please don't leave me," was all I said, but it was enough.

Pulling me close again, my ear pressed against his steady heart beat and I heard him whisper above my head, "Never," in his own tongue.

After this morning's episode, Legolas insisted that he put off all official duties for the day and instead take me out for a surprise. I fought him on it, feeling guilty for stealing him away, but secretly was glad. As beautiful as the city was, I was uncomfortable under the curious and judging eyes of the people here, wondering who I was and why I was still here in the company of their soon to be king. So needless to say, I was excited to take a longer trip outside the city and see more of this magnificent world with the one who held my heart, especially after this morning.

As always, Legolas carries his bow across his back and a full quiver, along with his elegant yet worn blade on his hip. Feeling especially adventurous, garbed in a female warriors casual wear, I agreed to wear my own curved sword, more out of the feeling of excitement and security carrying my own sword gave me, rather than out of fear. Despite still being in the city center, Legolas grasped my hand firmly, our finger treaded together securely. Several looked on in interest, and to my surprise there was no malice in their beautiful eyes. On the way out, Legolas pulled us off the main path out and brought me to the area where the young wolf was being cared for.

To my surprise, the wolf was nearly fully healed thanks to the magic of the elves. In fact, today was the day they were going to release him back into the forest. Legolas knew this and had volunteered us to be the ones to see him off. Not sure how we were going to herd this animal out of the city, I was surprised when Legolas gestured for me to start walking again. I then understood when the wolf simply followed after me when I started walking. Of those the wolf had encountered, I was still the one he trusted the most.

So the two of led the lone wolf out of the city and into the forest, directed where I had first found him. After sometime Legolas and I stopped. At our halt, the wolf sat down and looked back and forth between us. Unsure what to do next, I crouched down to its level. The wolf walked forward again and bumped his nose into my hand, almost as a thanks. I heard Legolas whisper into my ear what to say to send him on his way. In the beautiful and trusted language of the elves I then told the wolf, "Go in peace friend, and run well and run fast."

Cocking its head, the wolf looked at us once more, and then bounded off into the brush, howling his call to his pack, beginning a long and lonely search for home. When we could no longer see the creature running, we began our walk again, to a part near the outside of the city I had not been to before. We came upon where the regal and loyal horses were allowed to roam, unrestrained and ready to come at any call. We went through the gate and wandered around for a while until Legolas came upon the horse he was searching for. By the tender and gentle greeting of the two I could assume this was Legolas' long term companion. The gorgeous beast lived up to its role of being the royal heir's stead, full of majesty and regality.

Extending a hand to me, Legolas gestured for me to approach and greet his companion. I was fond of horses and had taught myself quite a bit about their mannerisms. I held my hand out palm up to slowly ease onto the side of his jaw. Watching his ears and nostrils, I was given the go ahead to touch him. His eyes watched me carefully and his tail flicked nervously. When my hand touched the coarse fur, he flinched but then let his head settle into my hand. I turned my body so my head was in front of his and guided his head gently to my level. I calmly blew air out of my nostrils into his and then waited for the response. Almost immediately he returned to favor and then went casually back to his grazing.

Smiling I turned to Legolas and saw he was watching me with a special joy in his eyes. "How is it that you know so much about so many different things and yet you are so young?" he asked.

I thought for a moment on my response, continuing to watch the grazing creatures. "I guess for you, you have plenty of time to learn and see things. I don't have as much time. I just don't want to live my life and then one day be left wishing for more. My lifespan of only maybe a hundred years is nothing compared to the span of eternity. I have less time to learn but no less things I want to learn."

In response, rather than words, Legolas took my hand and led me around the side of his horse. He first jumped fluidly onto its back and then held his hand down for me. I grabbed on tightly, knowing he was about to swing me up behind him. I was right, and in such an easy grace he lifted me onto the stead behind him. Leaning down, he whispered into the horse's ear what sounded like the name of some place and with that, the three of us were off.

The ride turned out to be one of companion based silence. The only sounds that were heard we those of the creation around us. The wind danced around the leaves, passing secrets through the air. The birds and insects sang to each other in passing. There was a gentle rustle of the underbrush from whatever lay in its depths. As well, there was the idea of a sound that comes from the glow of the sun through the canopy of trees. Of course the sun does not create an actual sound but as the holy light is shed through the leaves, one cannot help but imagine the sound of the angels singing, sending down their voices in the form of light.

Seeing the peaceful and vibrant world in this forest calmed my still churning mind about the dreams from earlier. The image of destruction slowly began to fade as this place over ran my reality. This is exactly what I needed, and Legolas had known that. Up to this point the ride had been very relaxed so I had not been holding onto anything behind Legolas as we traveled, enjoying the canter. To convey my gratitude for him knowing exactly what I needed, I moved to wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head between his shoulder blades. He shifted slightly to settle into my arms a bit and hummed in contentment and understanding.

Like the changing wind, my mind latched onto a single thought, ruining this moment for me. I sat back, instantly Legolas knew something was wrong. He stopped the horse and turned to look back at me.

"Legolas…." I began, "What….what are we doing? What are we going to do? I need to get home, I need to, but…but I can't leave you. You, this place, everything. I can't imagine leaving it, but I have to. I have to go live my life. Legolas, what are we going to do?"

We both knew this conversation and decision was going to have to be had at some point, but I cursed myself for bringing it up during a time of healing and contentment.

"Legolas, I cannot and will not ask you to return with me. My world is not yours. It may not even be mine anymore if I can't find a way back, but that doesn't mean I will ever stop searching. You have hundreds of years of rule set out before you, and I refuse to be what keeps you from them. I won't give up on my dreams either….I do care immensely for you, but I also am not the girl to drop her whole life, there are things I still need to do, to learn. I don't have forever. Legolas, my life is already almost a fourth of the way over. I don't know what to do."

Legolas sat calmly still, although the horse tossed his head with a gentle snort. His eyes gauged me carefully, thinking and processing everything. He turned back around and nudged our companion to keep moving, although it was in a different direction than before. I sat very still, unsure what he was doing or was going to do. After some time of silence, he spoke.

"There have been whispers of darkness on the outer reaches. I was planning to investigate it in the coming weeks with a small troop. I understand now this is something you and I must face alone, together. I know there isn't much for you here, and I would never dream of shutting you off from your future, even if it is without me. Even when you are worlds away you will continue to be the star that shines light into my heart and life."

Pausing, he glanced back at me with curious glint in his eyes. "And who knows, maybe we can work out a long distanced thing."

And just like that, the tension was broken, punctuated by our combined laughter. So we began our journey to destiny, unaware of the presence that silently trailed behind us.

Later that evening as dusk began to fall, I crouched near my slowing growing fire, gently coaxing it to life. Legolas had ventured off to find food and to scout around the area. I was slightly unnerved being left virtually alone in a part of the forest I had no knowledge of. I had decided to throw that uneasiness into building the fire that Legolas had mentioned he would make upon his return. Inwardly smirking, I wondered why he didn't ask if I knew how. Continuing to feed the fire with what I had gathered nearby, I watched as smoke and small sparks began to fill out into flickering flames. Proud of my work, I give it the last push of breath to bring it fully into fruition.

Sitting back on my heels I whipped the sweat from my face, no doubt smudging black ash onto my face in the process. As I sat, watching the flames, aware that it was getting much darker now, I started when I heard words growl out from the flames. _I see your heart. And it is mine._ With cold fear struck in my chest, I pushed away from the fire. Just as my mind was being sucked back into the terror and agony of my earlier dream by those words, I heard the crisp crunch of boots on the forest floor behind me. Assuming it was Legolas, I scrambled to my feet to both hide my fear and to seek his comfort. To my dismay, the person behind me was neither Legolas nor any other elf for that matter.

In fact, this being was unmistakably human. That did nothing to quench my fear as they appeared to be very strongly built, tall and imposing, clad with a great sword, one of similar style that the elves made. As I stepped backwards eyeing behind me my sheathed sword, the man came forward a step, more into the glow of my fire. He raised his hands and I instinctively flinched towards grabbing my sword, well aware my basic skills would do nothing but prolong a defeat. I was surprised however when he seemed to be raising his hands in peace. In the better light I sensed another faint familiarity with this man. He began to open his mouth to introduce himself and calm me, but as he did so I whispered the name that suddenly came to my mind in slight recognition.

"Aragorn?" I breathed.

He seemed suspicious as to how I knew his name, as well as why, assuming I was some other normal human from around here and somehow knew who he was, did not address him by his kingly title.

"You already have me at a disadvantage Milady. While you apparently know of me, I know not of you. I was tracking an elf through these woods, but there was only one set of tracks anywhere to be found, I assumed him alone. Do you know of whom I speak?"

His voice was heavier than the elves, but in a way that conveyed his strength and authority.

I nodded and replied, relaxing myself knowing I was not in danger.

"You're looking for Legolas then aren't you? He should be back soon. I'm Juliana."

Inclining his head, Aragorn muttered, "Knew that blasted elf wasn't dead."

Just then Legolas emerged from the shadows into the glow of the fire. Still, unnerved by the incident with the fire moments before, I visibly relaxed and exhaled when Legolas cam to stand by me, also facing Aragorn. Sensing I was off, he placed a hand on my back, glancing at me for just a moment before greeting Aragorn.

"Surely, friend, you know it takes much more to kill me than whatever rumors have been floating this land. When are you going to stop telling people I'm dead?"

Moving from my side, Legolas came forward to meet Aragorn as they clasped arms in greeting. Not missing a beat, Aragorn replied,

"I'll stop telling people the Elven King is dead when I see him for myself. What else are we supposed to think, you disappearing for a few years without a bloody word. All we knew was that your father had sailed and you left shortly after on some quest, and then suddenly your life force disappeared from the world. Next thing we know, there is word the king has returned, but offers no explanation. Now I understand the need for secrecy at times, but Legolas, as a friend, it would be good to know that you aren't actually dead."

He paused, glancing at me, still standing a step farther from the fire than needed. "There was also word….word that darkness was creeping in from the edge of the realms. It stopped for a time, the same time you were presumed dead. But its back now. And here you are, yet again, out on a quest for it."

Legolas turned to face me and the fire, staring into the flames. I flinched at the sight, but regained my composure quickly enough, although Legolas noticed my shift. Sighing, he dropped what he had collected from his bag and motioned for us all to sit.

"Come friends, let us gather around Juliana's fire and discuss. Aragorn, this is Juliana. And she is not from our world."

We talked and fed the fire long into the night. Legolas gave Aragorn the necessary detailed recap of his and our adventure up to this point, leaving out many of the personal details. In the late/early hours, I began to grow very tired, from both the long ride and the lack of sleep the day before. Legolas noticed my fading attention and smoothly shift from his place at my side to coaxing me to rest on him, also not wanting to be far from me in case the dream returned. As we both settled naturally into our position, I took note in how Aragorn slightly lifted an eyebrow in our direction while continuing his narrative of the on goings of his rule. I listened awhile longer until I fully drifted off into sleep, sub consciously taking note of Aragorn's voice saying to Legolas,

"It seems, _old friend_ , that you have a bit more explaining to do that you initially gave."

I felt Legolas' chest rumble a bit with a chuckle, and felt his hand run over my head, down my side to gently grasp my hand. The last thing I recall from that night was Legolas' reply,

"Aye, that I do."

The few hours of sleep from that night were pleasant, no dreams of destruction or loss. I awoke to a damp, but beautiful dawn. The landscape was punctuated by a misty glow as the moist air bounced the sunlight around. I was in the same position as when I fell asleep, although I suspected Legolas had moved me sometime in the night as he took his watch and spoke with Aragorn. Once full consciousness pulled back to me, I inhaled deeply the fresh, wet air, alerting Legolas of my rising. Quietly he kissed my forehead. Pulling myself from him, I stood and stretched. Aragon was nowhere to be seen. Looking around the circumference of our site, I began to ask Legolas where he had gone when he interrupted me.

"Did you sleep well then?"

I knew he really meant if I had had any dreams like before. I shook my head and smiled slightly.

"No dreams, but I could have sworn another man was here when I fell asleep. Have you seen him? Large and dirty and hairy, kind of hard to miss."

Gently laughing, Legolas stood and came to wrap his arms around my waist, swaying as he hugged me.

"Hmmm last I saw he went to the forest to find more wood and possibly some breakfast to cook on that wonderful fire you started last night. Do I even want to ask where you acquired yet another skill I didn't know about?"

I pulled my head close to the side of his and very gently kissed just below his ear. As I pulled away I replied, "I acquired that skill the same place I acquired all the other skills you don't know about."

Uncharacteristically rolling his eyes, Legolas turned towards the crackling brush line where Aragorn began to appear.

Calling out to him, Legolas continued to prove he was in a good mood by saying, "Aye! You there! Have you perchance seen a large, dirty, hairy man about? My lady seems to be in search of one."

Legolas' light elvish laughter joined Aragorn's deep bass as I smacked him on the chest, pretending to be embarrassed.

In truth, it was good to see Legolas interacting with someone he greatly considered as a friend. I opened a new aspect of him to me I had been missing before. Aragorn tossed the wood he had collected aside the fire and slung a dead rabbit over where we were standing. Still smiling, he countered, "Yeah well she should be looking for that man, seeing as he brings home the food while your majesty is braiding his hair."

Aragorn knew very well that Legolas didn't eat meat, but I was surprisingly excited at the prospect of eating something other than breads and berries. Noticing the slight downturn of his lips, I surprised Legolas by quickly kissing him on the mouth before he could respond, whispering, "You're still my favorite," as I started to move towards rebuilding the fire.

It was there I realized how strange it must have been for Aragorn to witness this interaction, as he has known Legolas for many many years and never observed him in this situation. As well, Legolas had never really been one for PDA, let alone so causally in front of his friends. (Not that I had met an abundance of his friends in my time here.)

As I lay down on my stomachs to breathe life back to the fire, I saw Aragorn pass by an almost bashful Legolas and tell him under his breath, "She's got some spirit, I'd keep her close if I were you" clasping his arm, Legolas smiled slightly and nodded. I was glad the warm fire could help hide my reddening face.

Aragorn skinned and cooked the rabbit he had caught. As he and I ate it, myself doing so with a bit less exuberance, Legolas crouched near me tearing off small pieces of his special elven bread and popping them into his mouth. We all carried about casual conversation, mostly the other two continuing to catch up on their adventures of the last several years. Since Aragorn didn't age the same as normal men, he hasn't changed much from what I assumed he looked like during the events of the Lord of the Rings series. He wasn't as timeless as the elves, but he definitely hadn't changed drastically. I was lost in my own thoughts when I noticed they were both looking at me curiously.

"What?" I asked, looking between them.

Glancing at Legolas, Aragorn asked again, "I was just curious as to what the two of you were intending to do about this threat of darkness looming. And if you were in need of aid in this endeavor."

Legolas was looking at me intently, as I assumed he had been since the first time Aragorn spoke. Again I was struck by how sincere and beautiful his gaze on me was. How did someone like me get to this point? This story was no longer a story of my adventure or my "desire for more". I was beginning to fully accepting this was the new reality, but it wasn't just for me. This wasn't just my story anymore. This story belonged to the two of us. Legolas and myself. And that was it. For us to figure out where we were headed we needed to journey down the path together. This wasn't something others could help us decide. Aragorn's question was more than just a matter of defeating the demon, it was a matter of fighting what would stand in the way of us being together and determining how a future could work between us.

Steeling myself, hoping Legolas understood and agreed, I gave the answer.

Aragorn nodded, seeming to understand as well, and smiled a bit even. "Very well, then I wish you both the best of luck in everything." He turned to speak directly at Legolas this time, "Friend, please send word after this is all over so we know you are not dead. It would be a pity to show up for your formal coronation to find it's actually a funeral."

He stood and Legolas and I followed suit.

"My mission is finished, but yours is just beginning. It's time you be off. The darkness will not wait."

A sense of finality settled on me, and I believe Legolas felt it too, as he shifted his body towards me.

"It was good to see you again old friend, and once again, thank you for your wise words." Legolas shifted his eyes to me momentarily and then moved to bid Aragorn a proper farewell. As they separated, I sensed that some conversation had transpired between them while I slept, something important.

I was surprised when Aragorn stepped away from Legolas and pulled me aside while the other began to clean up the site and prep his horse.

"Juliana," he whispered, "you should know. Legolas has a heart of gold, but often he pushes away those he loves in order to do what he considers protecting them. I do the same often, but this is one case where you cannot let him do this. If he tried to push you away, you must push back. He will try to convince you, plead with you, but in the end, it will destroy him. Don't let this happen to him. From what he and I have exchanged, I fear without you he will find decades of sadness and will turn back into himself. He is alive, and we need to keep him like that, in every way possible."

I was touched by Aragorn's concern for Legolas, and immensely glad we had not only his sword but his heart on our side.

"Aragorn," I started, "you are a true friend. I may not seem it, but I can be a pusher, especially when it comes to those I care about. You can trust me on this, he WILL make it out alive and well. And so will I."

As I said this I was struck by the feeling that even if we did make it out, it may not be in the same world... but I quickly brushed that away as Aragorn smiled and nodded. We moved back towards the main clearing where Legolas was standing facing away, looking to the distance, tall and regal, one hand resting gently on the neck of his steed. At our approach, he turned and met my eyes. I had a suspicion he already knew what we had talked about. His eyes were almost sad, but I'm sure it was the same sadness that was reflected in mine. We both knew that the odds of us both surviving and remaining together to figure out a future on our own terms were not in our favor.

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you all so much for the support in this. Im so sorry for what Ive done in this chapter. But not sorry enough to not do it. This chapter and its content is a culmination of many things, me coming out of this most recent depression, finding out I DONT have cancer, playing Maslankas Mother Earth for an upcoming concert, attempting to in real life start dating someone, and in general being really stressed and avoiding my responsibilities like studying for my engineering exams. With that said, you know what to do. Enjoy and give me feedback!**

 **CH 7**

There is no way for me to describe the feeling of my soul being shredded from my body, to have the singularity of my heart stripped from my being, as I watched the black talon of the demon rip through flesh towards me. I cried out in pain, although the pain was of a blow not felt in this mortal coil. The talon stopped before it reached me, stopped by the solidarity of Legolas' love for me, embodied in his sudden sacrifice.

He was facing me as he had leapt in the way of the deadly blow, and I try to this day to erase the pain of his expression from my memories, to erase the look of despair as he realized both what his sacrifice had saved….and had cost. But I try mostly to erase the look of the light leaving his eyes as he died, collapsed in my arms.

 **The Day Before**

The days had carried on, sunshine and rain, balmy and blistering, but regardless of it all we made good time. Just over a week of travel passed and the air thickened with a feeling of finality and darkness. We were close and we both knew it. The days of travel had done well for our relationship, certainly a challenge, but I think we had reached a kind of understanding as the trip came to a stall. We would not give up on this. Regardless of how this encounter ends, we will find a way to adapt and will not stop searching for each other, if it comes to that. The topic of one of us dying was never breeched. That was a bridge we would burn if it came to that, but honestly if one of us died, the chances of the other surviving were slim.

I was sitting on the lower branches of a tree near a small pool of water as Legolas led his horse to drink and to refresh himself. Baths were not something we had stumbled upon often in this week of travel, only twice before now. I had already rinsed my face, hair, arms, and legs, and now Legolas took his turn. The day was sunny for now, leaving the water to sparkle in the speckled lights shining through the overhead canopy. Even at this point Legolas and I were still very modest in our involvement with each other, but I couldn't resist admiring the elf before me as he rollup his trouser legs to step into the pool. His tunic was already removed, leaving me a generous view of his slim but built frame.

I smiled to myself, blaming the sun on my warming cheeks. The elven folk really were like rods of bamboo, they can sway in the gentle wind, flexible and fluid, but they were undeniably strong and solid. My mind began to wander and I was no longer sitting in the tree. In my mind I was thinking about bamboo. As strange as it seemed, my thought actually drifted to some research I had been looking at regarding tensile strength of different plant fibers. I was meaning to get in contact with a professor at my school about joining his research in Rwanda regarding banana fibers. With those thoughts coming to mind, I was no completely gone in my head. For the next several minutes I thought of the classes I had taken, was going to take, and wanted to take. My thoughts were of thermodynamics, ordinary differential equations, electric circuit theory, digital logic, electromagnetism, static and dynamic systems, and many others. Oh how I missed math! Math made sense. It was a puzzle, yes, but one that was meant to challenge and broaden the mind and always had an answer, explicitly or not. It was systematic, it was constant, it never changed. God I am such a nerd.

A clearing throat brought me back to my senses and I had to blink a few times to recall where I was. Well currently I was still in the tree grinning like an idiot looking at a very amused shirtless Legolas waiting for me to respond. Staring at him, it took me a moment to collect my thoughts. When I did, Legolas was now completely laughing at me.

"You certainly are distracted," he chided. Stepping out of the water and coming to stand beneath me in the tree, his head was about even with my knees hanging off the low branch I was on. Trying to clear my throat again I stopped when he folded his arms on top of my knees and rested his chin on them. I could see and feel the dampness of his arms and hair on my legs. He grinned and slyly looked into my eyes, causing me to blush even more.

"Now, what might you have been so distracted by my dear star?" By the implications in his voice and his smug air, he definitely assumed I had been ogling him and admiring him while he rinsed off. In truth, I had at first, but that was just for a few seconds. And that was not what had given me the glazed look in my eye. Smiling down at him, I shifted my leg to get him to move so I could jump down. He stepped back as I slid down, catching me in is him wet arms. I tried to pull back but he held me firmly, clearly in a playful mood. I laughed and tried harder to wiggle out of his hold. In truth I was having fun, and was fully content to let him keep believing my distracted staring was caused by him.

"Legolas let me go!" I laughed. "Nope. Not until you tell me who had you so distracted," he replied. Oh yeah he definitely thought that. I stopped squirming and mumbled into his chest.

"Huh? What was that? Come on now, speak up."

This time I said it again louder. "I said, I was thinking about tensile strengths of bananas, you conceded oaf."

I looked up at his confused expression stifling my laugh. "Yeah hotshot, get over yourself, it takes more than this to make me lose my mind. Math takes me to a world just as magical and far away as this one." Legolas just stood there looking down into my eyes. Silence fell as I essentially went back on my word, losing myself in his expression, as he did in mine. So caught was I in the moment despite my prior words, I was caught off guard when Legolas' lips were on mine. This was the most sensitive and emotional kiss we had shared in a very long while. The sun warmed one cheek, while the other was warmed by Legolas' hand. His other hand held one of mine on his exposed chest. After a while we separated and I let myself be hugged to him as we regained our composure.

He broke the silence with his classic sarcasm, quietly saying, "Can math take your breath away like that?"

I was surprisingly clear headed given the circumstances, and managed to reply in my own jab. "Only when I solve them. So yes, all the time." He let me go then, laughing and kissing the crown of my head. "Oh, Juliana you baffle me at times. Come, let us make haste. You and I have a date with destiny."

It was true, we did. The journey was nearly done for this part. We would reach our destination late in the night- in the morning, everything would change.

I sat awake with Legolas that last night together, much like we spent our last night together in in my world, watching the stars, listening to him tell me stories of their constellations. For all we knew this could be our last night together, and even if Legolas could sleep as I, I doubt, like me, he would have been able to. When the first glimpses of sunrise began to show on the horizon, Legolas nudged me up from my where I lay resting against him. Together we packed away the simple camp site, went through some gentle stretching, and Legolas spoke to his horse, instructing him to wander free, but stay near. The rest of the journey we would take on foot.

We had come close enough to where the demon was said to be roaming that we could now feel its darkness emanating like a beacon, unobscured as it was in my world. Each step was more and more painful to the soul, the light of our beings was repulsed, and that's how we knew we were on the right track. We communicated with very little words in this time, mostly in body gestures and gentle touches, brushing minds in the Realm of Sight, where we could feel the other as a part of ourselves. There was a point when we reached a clearing, one that had be cleaned out by something of a violent nature. The trees had been crushed and knocked down, and there was a distinct difference in the slightly scorched grass from the lush surroundings. At the far side of the clearing, there was what appeared to be a steep drop off, but how far it went down, I dared not guess, for Legolas told me that we near what they called "The Edge of the World".

The ring of the clearing seemed to be both calling to us, but also repelling us, asking us to join in its darkness, but only at the cost of expelling the light inside us. Rather than abandon the light for the beacon of the dark, we broke forward, as an unwanted visitors. Every step felt like being shoved by an invisible magnet, attached to my heart. I knew Legolas felt the same, as he wrung him hands on the grip of his drawn bow, surveying the surroundings. I slowly drew the bow I had been using for casual practice not long ago, but this time with the intent it was made for. The only sign the demon had been here was its trailing feeling of dread.

The darkness then began to draw together, pulling harder at both us and the area around us. We both began to edge back, drawing arrows. Legolas and I swiftly scanned for the cause of the change, and quickly found it. Near the edge of the clearing, where the land dropped, the dark energy was literally pulling together into a black mass. As the pull intensified, that black mass began to take a more recognizable shape, the demon.

In that moment, and mental iron will I had accumulated in my time was gone, struck the fear and dread and despair that was suddenly looming. There was no way that we could win this, and in my heart I knew that to be the truth. I turned to look at Legolas, hoping for some kind of inspiration, and was crushed to see him also looking at me, the same lost look of despair settling in. As our eyes locked, something extraordinary happened.

I knew for myself that I could not win this fight. I could not pull myself out of my darkness for myself, for my own selfish needs. I needed to be strong in this moment for the one I love, for all those I love. This fight was not about me. This fight was about Legolas, about my friends back home, my family. All those who love me unconditionally and inspire me daily to achieve. I did not need to be strong for my benefit, I needed to be strong for those whom I love and who loves me. And with that realization, my uncertainty and hesitance snapped. I tore my gaze from Legolas, and I saw the glimpse of confusion as he registered the change in me. I drew back the bow and let fly, miraculously hitting the beast in the chest. At my shot, the beast roared, still forming, but already moving. Legolas also sprang into action now, letting many arrows fly, faster than I had seen. I was not nearly as quick or accurate, but regardless, when shot with an arrow, it hurt. The demon was suddenly spinning around trying to keep track of the onslaught of Legolas, but continuously disrupted by my aiding assault.

I kept my distance still, not confident in my ability to defend myself up close, but Legolas was firing as he dodged and dove all around the demon, a fierce scowl set in determination on his fair face. In an amazing showcase of the agility and trust in instinct that comes from decades of battle and training, Legolas bore down on the beast. He had now abandoned his bow, and was combating the demons raking claws with his own sword. Taking his cue, I too put down my bow and joined him in the fray of closer combat.

Again I acted as more of a distraction to the demon so Legolas could lay his more effective attacks, also paying close attention so I would not get in his way inadvertently. As I slashed at the demons back, Legolas suddenly showed up on the ground next to me in a cat like crouch, having slid and rolled between the demons legs. Quicker than something of its size should have been able to, the demon spun around, almost as if its form imply shifted to be facing us. It was then I began to feel the fatigue of the fight, although I doubted Legolas had the same feeling. By the looks of it, neither did the demon, as it simply roared in rage again, coming at us anew.

As I threw myself to the side, I remembered an item of interest to us, the gem. However, in my initial search, it was nowhere to be found. As I was looking at the demon, I saw a quick blur of blonde scampering up it, much as a squirrel does to a tree, as Legolas made his way to perch around the beasts broad and powerful shoulders. He spun his sword deftly in his hands and slammed it down into the base of the beasts' skull, a blow that really should have killed anything.

Oh! How the fiend screeched, roaring and thrashing about. Legolas held on the best he could, driving the blade deeper and deeper, his arms being coated by a repulsive black and red liquid-the blood of the beast. Due to its anatomy, the demon was unable to reach us and grasp Legolas, try as it might. It instead, took notice to me. Focusing its dying rage and pain on me, suddenly feeling very small and very much mortal, I raised my sword preparing to block the razor talons that reached toward me.

Those claws never landed their mark on me.

In that split second of decision between life and death, Legolas made his choice. He made a choice for me, against anything I would have wished. I screamed in both my mind and with my voice, seeing what would happen before it did. Legolas aimed to summersault off his mount, to in some way deflect the blow. He did not have the time to tear his sword from the beasts' neck to stop the impaling blow. He blocked it instead, with his body, landing his flip facing me, his perfect image destroyed in my eyes by the black claw of death protruding from his chest.

A small gasp of breath shuddered from his mouth as the beast let out one last howl and dissipated into the void for another millennium, removing the only thing holding Legolas together. Without its support, he sank to his knees, and I with him, reaching forward to catch him in my arms. The demon was gone, but no joy filled me at it disappearing.

Death is not like what is shown in movies. It is not sudden, or peaceful, there is no time to exchange last words, and there is no stopping it, not like this. I cradled Legolas' head in my lap, his pained eyes looking up at me as I tried to do everything I could to distract him from the pain he was leaving. His mouth gaped, trying to find words, but as he lost blood, his brain stopped making the connections between thoughts and motor function. He began what my dad had described to me as the "Death Gurgle", something he has seen often as a first responder to car wrecks. His chest shuddered as his lungs fought being drowned in their own blood. I tried to ignore these things, as I assessed his state. Even from my basic first aid training, I knew that no amount of pressure to the wound or tunicate configuration would abate the pool of blood that was spilling forth. Legolas Greenleaf was dying.

The next couple minutes passed like hours, as I spoke to him, kissing his forehead, his cheeks, his ears, his lips, telling him what a silly, protective, and insufferable elf he was, with all my heart and love. I promised him many things in those minutes, that he would be okay soon, that I wasn't going anywhere, that I forgave him, that I loved him, as long as stars shall shine. Just as the last swirling wisps of darkness collapsed back into the abyss, Legolas drew no more breath, his eyes held no more light, and I felt my soul being torn in half. Legolas Greenleaf was dead.

I couldn't bring myself to move, besides the motion of closing his eyes, unable to look at the blank stare. So I sat, pained for hours as I crying, body wrecking sobs, for the life that was, and the life that was never more to be, of Legolas Greenleaf, King of Mirkwood.

After all the tears had left my body, and I could feel no more, I looked away from his face, and my gaze fell on what would spark an emotion inside my stilled heart. The gem. This cursed jewel that had twisted and ensured fate. It was right there, in the middle of the clearing, in a small patch of newly scorched grass. Shuffling out from under Legolas, I slowly approached the gem, not yet angry, but filled with some emotion I had not known before. Thickly swallowing in my sob stricken throat, I cautiously picked up the gem with the ends of my tunic, and brought it back over to where Legolas lay. Sinking back to my knees, looking between Legolas and the gem, I began to feel the anger. Dropping the gem to the ground, I screamed from the primal depths of what was left of my being, and suddenly there was stone in my hand, descending to the jewel, with the intent to destroy it. When the rock struck it, there was a sharp snap, and thought the gem did not shatter, a crack appeared, and from that crack shone a bright light. The light continued to grow, slowly coming over the both of us, until I could no longer see anything, not even Legolas as I blindly grasped to hold onto him, uncertain as to what was happening.

The light began to press down on me then, like a large white comforter, lulling me into a peaceful state, despite my mind and body fighting it. Just as my mind lost all awareness, I was haunted by the ghost of a familiar hand grasping onto mine.

Legolas.

 **Im sorry. Dont hate me.**


	8. Chapter 8

**CH 8**

When I woke up it was because I couldn't breathe. My face felt warm and fuzzy, and when I tried to inhale I was met with the last thing I expected. Cat fur. My eyes snapped open, and what I saw brought tears to my eyes. Cuddled up to my face, as I had grown used to in my high school years, was the cat I had rescued as a kitten. Forgetting my confusion and discombobulation momentarily, I sat up, startling my cat, and hugged him to my chest, crying and laughing. Oh how I had missed him! Honestly the hardest part about leaving for school was leaving my cat. My parents and friends knew why I left, and I could still text with them, but my cat? The stick tight, affectionate kitten I had saved from under a car would not know why his best friend had left for so long.

His familiar and comforting purr filled my ears, and I was once again reminded why I had been determined to get my own apartment in college so I could have my cat at school with me. I was able to ignore the ache in my heart for just a moment and relish in the unconditional love of my best friend and companion. After a while, he began to struggle, probably wanted me to feed him. Letting go and opening my eyes, I was flooded again with confusion. _Where am I? And why is my cat here?_ As I asked these questions and looked around I felt fear begin too grip my heart again, constricting it so much I audibly gasped. _Where was Legolas?!_

I frantically swung myself out of bed, hitting my foot on the unfamiliar bedside table. I was in a room I did not know…yet I knew it was mine. It was my furniture, my same organized chaos, my taste in decoration, even all my photos on the walls. I curiously walked to a board full of pictures, feeling very outside of myself in that moment. My cat meowed and scratched at the door, wanting to go into the main living area. I ignored him, instead feeling my gut wrench in strange ways as I felt my reality spiraling around me. All of the pictures were ones I remembered, and that's what suddenly terrified me and chilled my blood.

I remembered every single picture, some because I remember the events, I knew the emotions playing on my face in this photo, what my friends had said before it was snapped, what we were doing, where we were, all the feeling associated to the memory. Others, I had a memory of, but in the way that one has a memory of a dream. I had a film of the events run in my mind but they felt foreign. They were my reality, but they were not real.

They showed me, as I was, with friends I knew, but it was obviously more recent than the others. There were pictures from at least two different summers, some at camp, some at the beach, at theme parks. More at school, in this same room, that I assumed was my apartment.

Was this my life had I not left with Legolas? If I had stayed at school? Was this my reality if I had never met Legolas, or was this the actual reality? Were these memories truly false if they were so vivid? But the memories of Legolas and our time together was so real, more real than these memories or any others. They all were prevalent in my mind. I suddenly felt very claustrophobic, having two lives stuffed in my head.

It wasn't until I heard someone call my name that I realized I had sank to the floor clutching my head. There was a knock, and then the door opened, showing Emily, my friend and apparent roommate.

I looked up and she saw I was on the floor crying, a look of complete distress on my face. Immediately she realized something was wrong and came to me, sank down to the floor and held me. It was then the dam truly broke, and sobs rolled over me in waves, crashing down on the shore of my sanity, shattered any semblance of coherence. Amidst the storm, I realized I was mourning. Was I mourning the death of Legolas, or was I mourning the death of the life I thought I had been living before I woke up in this place?

Emily didn't realize there was battle raging in me at that moment, the two realities of my mind fighting to take control of my existence. Had any of the events since Legolas showed up ever actually happened? My mind was yelling at me no, that it was not possible, but my heart, still torn open from my last memory of him, was screaming yes. The two sides began to push at each other insistently, and I slowly felt one begin to gain ground on the other. Things became very muddled then, and I started to question what was happening in my head, why was a part of me rebelling? What was there to even question? I knew what my reality was. It was absurd for me to have considered any different.

There was no way a fictional character has made his way into my life, let alone take me to his world and fallen for me. This here was real. Emily was real, holding me in my slowing maniac state. This apartment was real, I could feel it with my hands, I had felt my cat's fur, I had seen the pictures. This was my reality, ordinary and simple. There was nothing extraordinary about it all, and that's just what I was used to.

I had stopped crying, calming myself enough to pull out of Emily's hold. Sitting back I looked at her smiling in apology. She smiled back softly, asking me with her eyes if I was alright.

"I'm fine now, I just had a freaky realistic dream. One of those that seems so real. I woke up really confused, and I think something bad had happened at the end that mad made me wake up, putting me like this. I'm okay. Thank you Emily."

Emily helped me stand, saying "Of course, I know you've been having really bad dreams since that incident freshman year. It's been a while since your last one, though. Almost two years I think."

I blinked in confusion and nodded slowly. "Yeah….the accident. Hey, sorry, what is today?"

I didn't have a memory of an accident, dreamt or otherwise. She laughed at me, saying it was Saturday, the 24th of March. I laughed as well, playing on my confusion and saying how tired I must be to be so confused. She blamed it on the Advanced Thermodynamics. I laughed again with her as she left my room, my cat following her, swishing his tail happily.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, pulling up the calendar, confirming it was in fact March 24, 2018. Something panged in my chest again, but I shoved it down, annoyed at my emotional confusion. Something still didn't feel quite right, but stubbornly I told it to be quiet and went about getting ready for the day.

The next few hours continued in an uninteresting way. I was able to do all my homework for the upper level engineering classes, ones I was well prepared for as a second semester junior in engineering. I took meal breaks, went for a run, and when nightfall hit, pulled open my spiral to write a bit about the dream I had, hoping to would clear the lingering feelings it stained on my heart. As I began to write, my eyes grew tired, and I looked in confusion at my writing, noticing it was no longer legible English. Laughing to myself, I thought it almost looked like elvish. Figuring if I was writing gibberish it was much too late for me to be awake, I got ready for bed, snuggling up with my cat, and let sweet rest take me.

 **Two weeks later**

I woke up in a sweat, a cold hand gripping my heart. Someone had died in my dream. Someone I loved very much. They didn't have a face, but I felt the love between us. I turned on my bedside light, noticing a flower circlet sitting on the cabinet across the room. Still confused, I didn't quite think it out of place. I got a glass of water and tried to calm down my heart, falling back to sleep, assuming it was another dream caused from my accident.

 **Two months later**

I was walking in the park on a beautiful day, the semester drawing to a stressful close with final exams. Something caught my attention to the side of the trail. The had been a glimpse of movement to my side in the trees, human like, but now when I looked there was no one there. Wary, I left the park, a very unsettling feeling coming over me. I was missing something. My heart felt a pang, and I was startled to feel tears slip down my face. There was a deep feeling of missing something in my heart. Of missing someone. Blaming it on stress, I dried the tears and went home.

I tossed my keys on my dresser and flipped on the light in my room. I stopped, suddenly very uncomfortable. Sitting on my bed was something that was not mine. It was a beautiful bow. Not a bow like the one I used for occasional cosplaying, but a full sized, lethal, regal looking hunting bow. I cautiously approached it, reaching my hand out. I touched the smooth wood, smiling as I did so, appreciating its craftsmanship and forgetting the discomfort, now being filled with familiarity, like hugging a long lost friend.

I picked it up then, stretching the string back and let it go. As it _twang_ ed my vision was shot forward with the imaginary arrow to a beautiful green forest, warm light, and soft bird chatter. I looked down at my feet, clad in soft boots, standing on beautiful, lush earthy ground. I turned around and saw another person was standing there, back to me. They had long golden hair, a dark green tunic under a brown leather vest and dark pants, tucked into boots. They stood tall and proud. Confident. In my mind I humorously thought they looked like what I imagined…..

 _Legolas._

I breathed the name, soft, almost like a prayer. The form snapped around, inhumanly fast, and when I saw their face everything else around me stopped mattering.

The piercing gaze, full of knowledge and love and strength, the sharp cheekbones, the fair skin, and lips, slightly open in surprise at my voice. His confusion changed instantly from being startled to being absolutely shocked and confused. He knew me. And I knew him.

I opened my mouth to say his name again just as he reached for me. It was that sound and movement that broke the illusion. I was back in my room again, still holding the bow. I gasped, dropping it suddenly as if it was snake. I stood motionless for a good while. That was not real. There was no way that was real. But it had to be. I knew him. I knew who that man was, and as I pictured his face in my head again, my heart flipped and clenched just as it had earlier at the park.

Before I could think of it anymore, I breathed out, my air forming words as I did.

 _Legolas_

It was then that the reality of things fully hit me full force.

I collapsed to the ground, shaking, unable to make a sound.

What was happening to me? Why did I know him, why was _that name_ attached to him? Nothing fit in my head anymore. Who was he? I searched my mind, pushing it farther and farther for answers. The edge of my awareness strained against an elastic barrier. I gripped it and began to tear at it, all patience gone, all my frustration from the past two months of confusion rising to the surface. The elastic snapped. The barrier destroyed. If I could have I would have yelled, but I couldn't. Instead, I lay in complete terror on the ground.

How.

How had I forgotten so easily.

 _Legolas._

The wrenching pain that had been haunted my heart filled me now, the grief and reality of things crashing down around me.

This. This was the lie. It has been, not just these two month, but apparently these last two years. Where had these false memories come from? They certainly were not mine. My memories took over, the ones full of adventure, of excitement, of laughter, of pain, of fear, of love. Of Legolas. Of his death. Of my last words to him. The lie that I would never forget him. I had betrayed him, forgetting what we had, crushed by a false reality spun from somewhere by someone. He was gone from me. I remembered it all now.

There was white light as the gem shattered, and then nothing. Nothing except that last feeling of a hand moving. Legolas. He had moved. He was alive. Or had been in those last moments. What had happened? Where had these false years come from, where was he now, did he remember? My gut hurt with the thought _Did he remember me?_

Tentatively, I did something I had not done since the battle with that awful demon. I reached into the world of Sight, searching in fear of what I would, or wouldn't find.

But I should not have feared. Because I felt it. I felt him. As I touched the pulsing energy of our combined being, it jumped suddenly, as if acknowledging my touch. It began to glow brighter and pulse faster, shifting from its healthy green to a bright gold. Love and happiness washed over the connection and I knew without even checking that I was crying tears of joy.

 _He was alive_.

We were separated from each other, but he was alive, and in that moment that is all I needed to know. For hours I sat on the floor, relishing in the comfort and love I had not felt in far too long, knowing that wherever he was, Legolas was doing the same. That, for the time being was all I needed to know.

Since this realization, I dreamt of Legolas in the forest every night for the rest of the semester. I had accepted that this place I was in was actually the dream, and my reality was with Legolas in the woods. I would go along with the dream world, doing school, engaging with friends, playing the lie, but at night, when I lay down I woke up. I woke to the beautiful rich city of trees, where Legolas would meet me. We still could not exchange words, for anytime one of tried to say something, I would be trust back into my false world, unable to return for the night. There was much we did not know about this arrangement. I did not know if he was permanently in this wood, back in Middle Earth, waiting for me to visit from my world, or if this was a between state for the both of us, and he was also asleep, escaping the lie he had been taken to. I was not sure which was worse, being in Middle Earth without me, waiting for nightly visits, or also living in some lie constructed by whatever aftermath had ensued.

When we would visit, there was nothing that we could do but walk or sit together in silence, watching each other or the wood around us. We learned to communicate silently by facial expression and gentle touches, afraid anything too sudden would wake us. During one encounter I began to wonder what he thought of my situation, if he had any idea of my fate, or was he as lost as I was on his?

As time went on, I began to become suspicious of the place we would visit in our sleep. It was always the same location, and no matter how far we walked, we would always end up where we started. Surely Legolas had noticed this too, but that was a bit much to try and convey through our limited communication. If only there was a way to bring paper or something with us to this place, where ever it was!

I felt a warm hand only leg, and I jumped slightly, not realizing how much my mind had wandered in this brief lapse. Legolas was looking at me expectantly, wondering what I had gotten lost in thought about. There was concern in his eyes, as well as a frustration I'm sure was mirrored in mine. I sighed, shaking my head, unsure how to explain. That he understood, and moved his hand off my leg to gently twine our fingers together in a reassuring way. He then took my other hand and placed it on top of our joined hands, finally covering that with his other hand. He pointedly looked at me and then our hands, back to me and smiled, comforting and soft, but set and determined. _We will be together. Don't worry._ His meaning was clear to me. Momentarily satisfied, I returned his smile and gently lay my head on his shoulder. We sat on the grass side by side, watching the same sky we had been watching unchanged for nearly a week. I felt him begin to serenely hum, bringing peace on us for the moment. As his humming grew stronger, I knew I was going to be pulled back to my apartment soon. I quietly joined into the humming, closing my eyes. When I opened them, I was back.

My friends had begun to notice something off about me. They danced around me, all aware of the same thing that was totally unexpected and something they didn't know how to deal with. I was happy. The enigma? I was happy but I was growing ever more distant.

I had begun to let myself dissociate from this life. I walked and talked like I was in a dream from day to day, losing interest in many things, constantly looking forward to the end of the day when I could retire to my elf. They never outright asked me what was going on, but I knew they wanted to. I was waiting for them to snap, and they were waiting for me to give them a reason to. One day during a walk in Dawson Park, I gave them that reason.

A group of us were going on a refreshing stroll on a pleasant Saturday afternoon, recovering from a very stressful week in the engineering school. I was being unusually quiet for a trip through my favorite areas, failing to point out cool scenes and not participating in the animated discussion around me. I was currently lost in my thoughts, struck by how similar this part of the park trail was to the woods in my dream visits with Legolas. The resemblance was beginning to feel uncanny. Because of this distraction, I failed to notice when my friends had stopped walking and talking. I carried on for a few more steps before realizing I was no longer with the group. I turned around, thoughts gone for a moment as I moved to see what had happened to my companions.

They were standing in the path way, in varying degrees of confrontational and offended postures. I intentionally cleared the glazed over look from my face I was sure was present and opened my mouth to ask what was wrong. Before I could form the words, Emily, my roommate held up a hand and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Juliana, we love you. We want to respect your privacy, but we have to get this figured out. Something has been up with you since the return of your dreams."

For a moment I was scared and confused as to how she knew about my dreams, but then I remembered the morning she came into my room after I returned to this timeline. Ah, those "dreams". The ones triggered by this mysterious "accident".

"And more than that, recently you've been really happy. The most carefree I've seen you since freshman year. Which is great, don't get me wrong, but its almost like you are being happy….somewhere else. It never feels like you are really here, mentally anyways. You are always checked out. The only time we see you really animated about something is when you get ready for bed. If I didn't know better, I would say you have a secret boyfriend you sneak out to visit every night. But that makes no sense. So…," she walked a few steps closer to me and looked me dead in the eye, showing she meant business, "…What gives?"

I saw the steel in her eyes reflected in the eyes of Sam behind her, and I knew I would have to come out and try to explain things. Where to start? How much to share? Should I try to make something else up, convince them I was sneaking out to a secret boyfriend? That was almost true, ignoring major details. Honestly, I still wasn't sure where this timeline stemmed from. Was this an alternate state of my life if Legolas hadn't showed up that day in the woods? Or was this just a time jump for me, and they remembered meeting this guy, my "exchange student who was actually and elf"? That, I decided, is what I needed to figure out in order to proceed.

"I'm really sorry, yeah things have been weird lately. Since that dream about the accident…I honestly don't know why I'm still having those. It was even a big deal. I'm just having trouble coping." Was it a big deal? I didn't know. I didn't even know what this accident was. But I think it might be the key to figuring this thing out.

Sam spoke up first. "Not a big deal? Juliana, we would be concerned if you weren't having trouble coping. Not everyone experiences being crushed by collapsing garage and going into an extended coma. We can't imagine what that was like. But you seemed to get over. You were getting better. And then suddenly you weren't anymore, and then again suddenly you got really happy but we have no idea _why_. It's like you aren't even the same person we've spent these two years with."

Coma? Yeah that was it. The collapsing garage. The time frame snapped in my mind. The fight with the demon in the garage, the one that ended in an explosion and Legolas and I being sent to Middle Earth. So that's what happened to the "me" here while I was gone. The "me" here was in a coma. Now that that was starting to make sense, it was time to figure out where things stood on the front of Legolas and their knowledge of him.

I painted a saddened look on my face, like I was thinking about the accident and the coma. "It's just, those dreams. The ones about the accident. I was just so alone. The dreams were so real, and for a while I was confused about reality. My memories leading up the…accident, are weird. They are fuzzy, confusing. But then once I started having them more, they began to get less confusing. I've been piecing together the things I had forgotten…which is why I'm so excited to get to sleep now. My dream isn't so lonely anymore, and I'm starting to figure this out."

Okay, good, so some half-truths made it in there. I tried to make my expression one if needing sympathy and understanding. I hated lying to my friends, even if this wasn't the right reality. They took the bait.

"Girl, you are never alone, you know that. We want to be here for you, but we can only do that if you let us. We didn't know you still were having memory issues and it was bothering you so much. We can try to fill in the gaps you have, regarding things leading up to it. Leo gave us a pretty good account before he left for New Zealand again. He was there too, do you remember that? "

 _Leo? Wasn't that the name I gave Legolas when he was pretending to be m exchange student? So he was here!_ But…in my memories, Legolas and I told Sam and Emily his true identity. And they accepted it. Ah. So this was an alternate timeline. The pieces were sliding into place now. This was the life I would have had, more or less, if Legolas had not actually come to me. Instead, I simply had been hosting a student, one who left, presumably after our accident. I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

This was definitely a false world then, or at least, one where everyone had their memories altered. I realized, they were looking at me strangely, not sure why I was smiling.

I quickly made up an explanation. "You're right! He was there! That's what wasn't right in my dream! I wasn't alone. I knew something was missing. Thank you! I can't believe I didn't think to ask you guys about this sooner."

They both looked a little relieved at my revelation, and I knew I was in the clear when Emily said, "Honestly how could you forget Leo? The dude was beautiful. I still can't believe he was human. I could never forget a man like that."

Oh Emily, neither could I, I thought to myself. I was about to laugh and agree in response, but in that moment, something caught my eye behind the girls. Someone was watching us.

No, not us. Me. My heart surged to my throat as my eyes found those of our observer. Ice met my gaze. He was here. It was him. But how? Why now?

I gasped, and he saw that I could see him, hiding amidst the trees. Emily and Sam spun around, startled by my surprise, and looked for the cause of my concern. I wasn't sure if I could draw breath in that moment. My mind ran quicker than I could process, and suddenly I was moving towards him. _Legolas._

Emily and Sam followed me with their eyes, apparently not seeing what I was, that my tall beautiful elf was now standing just in front of me, looking apprehensive. I opened my mouth to speak and he quickly shook his head, urging me not to. Was it because of Emily and Sam? At that moment I didn't care what they thought, I wanted to hold him, to hear his sweet voice again in the flesh, not in some diluted dream place.

I looked behind me to see what the two girls' reactions were. I was deeply confused t find that the only reaction of theirs was mild confusion, as they kept looking for what I was staring at, why I had gasped. They couldn't see him, I realized.

Slowly turning around, afraid he had been a figment of my imagination, I looked at Legolas. He appeared like he had in my dreams, alive and well, reflected in how he radiated with the forest. I was then struck with how similar this part of the woods was to our dream woods.

Then it hit me. This was the dream wood. Or at least, it was exactly as it looked in our dreams. Wha-why was he here? I tried opening my mouth again, and again Legolas stopped me, probably afraid if I spoke to him he would disappear. But I wasn't asleep… I couldn't be, no one was ever in my dreams with me, and I definitely don't remember going to sleep since waking up this morning.

I slowly and deliberately lifted my hand to stroke a stand of hair behind Legolas' curved ear, as I had grown used to doing. I gasped again at what happened.

My hand went right through his face. I recoiled in shock, and he blinked, startled at the apparent sensation of my hand passing through his form. So, he wasn't here after all, not really. At realizing this, any hope I had begun to build up that things were about to be fixed was crushed. I felt my throat tighten even more and I felt the pressure growing behind my eyes as despair began to grip me again. Would we ever be together again?

He saw this in my expression, us having established transparency in our emotions without using words. Trying to reassure me, he reached to caress my face. I closed my eyes and a tear slipped out, spurred by the fact I knew I should be feeling his warm, strong, and gentle hand on my face, yet I felt nothing.

I couldn't help it, even if it ended this moment, I just had to say his name once more.

As soon as the last syllable left my mouth, I dreaded opening my eyes, hating to see if he had disappeared. Instead, I ever so slowly opened my eyes in utter shock as I began to feel the tender embrace of his hand on my cheek materialize.

He obviously felt the change too, gently grazing his thumb across my skin. He was real. I could feel him, smell him. A question formed in my mind, could I hea-

"My star…"

I could hear him. Oh his voice! I had not realized how much I missed the floating timbre of his voice. New tears of joy rushed to my eyes. A laugh bubbled in my throat as I reached for him fully, pulling him into a deep embrace. He returned it whole heartedly, laughing in a sweet melody as he then picked me up and spun me around. I could listen to his laugh for the rest of my life, so overjoyed I was in the moment.

When we stopped spinning and he put me down, I noticed that we were alone. Sam and Emily were gone. I looked around quickly, still holding onto Legolas' arms. They really were gone. But how? And to where?

"Legolas, how….what? What has been happening?"

He looked down at me, just as confused as I was. "I…do not know. One moment I was spending another false and confusing day in Mirkwood waiting to meet you in my sleep, ruling as I apparently had been for two years, and while out on a walk, I heard your friends speaking. I followed the sound and stood watching and listening, afraid to move or speak in fear it would just be another dream. But now…now we are alone, and together, but I'm not sure how or where anymore. Were you here this whole time?"

Shaking my head, I continued to look around in confusion. "No. No I've been back at school, picking back up on a life I didn't actually live. We were on a walk in Dawson Park. This can't be right. Something is off. We can't be in both places. It's just not possible. Legolas, what is the last thing you remember. Not what this life has you remember. What do you remember about the last time we were together?"

His eyes darkened a bit and he shivered, suddenly feeling very cold. He didn't answer right away, thinking. Pulling me back into his tight embrace, he buried his head into my shoulder, seeking comfort. Unsure, I gave it to him, surprised when I felt a wetness from his tears on my skin. He was crying. I stroked his hair, combing through its silkiness. I traced an ear and kissed the top of his head, urging him to look up and answer me.

"Juliana… I…I remember dying."

 **AN: Sorry, life has been crazy. Let me know what you think, and have a blessed Easter!**


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